The Thirteenth Hour Podcast

Hosted by Joshua Blum

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195

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Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

The Thirteenth Hour books are 80s inspired illustrated fairy tale fantasy novels that pay homage to fantasy, sci fi, and teen movies from the 80s as well as the music of that era. This podcast explores aspects of 80s culture as well as a wide variety of influences behind the books. Companion site: http://13thhr.wordpress.com

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June 15, 202621 min

The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #566: Thirteenth Hour Sequel Update 15 - Musical Interlude - Starting the Wayfarer's Theme

This week, I'm working on an idea for a main theme for one of the main characters of The Thirteenth Hour sequel, the Wayfarer. Part of this episode was recorded outside (sorry for the environmental sounds) and the rest in front of a keyboard where I was hammering out a skeleton framework for the theme.I think I settled on an illustration style I like for this book - ballpoint pen with watercolors. Here's a picture of the Wayfarer from the first part of the story:https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/06/15/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-566-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-15-musical-interlude-starting-the-wayfarers-theme/More next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form! It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music. (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify. Join the mailing list for a digital free copy. You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book? Just email me at writejoshuablum@gmail.com for more details!

June 8, 202620 min

The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #565: Thirteenth Hour Sequel Update 14 - Plot Overview

This week, I wanted to go over some main details of the plot of The Thirteenth Hour sequel, which is really four stories in one - Aurora's tale, Logan's tale, Alfred (from the first book's tale), and the plot that weaves them all together. It might be too big for one book. But so far, I'm just writing! 96K words so far and probably only half done. I know I'll have a lot of editing to do!More next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form! It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music. (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify. Join the mailing list for a digital free copy. You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book? Just email me at writejoshuablum@gmail.com for more details!

June 1, 202617 min

The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #564: Thirteenth Hour Sequel Update 13 - Musical Interlude - Making an Ending Theme in F

This week, I'm working on an idea for a new ending(?) song for The Thirteenth Hour sequel. I don't have the lyrics yet and only a vague idea of what it will be about (acceptance? integration? family trauma? I don't know yet exactly ... I have heard this kind of story is called a "second coming of age" tale since it's more about the shift into middle adulthood), but I have the chords for the verse and chorus and some riffs that I started playing around with this episode.The parts of the song so far are:-Intro riff in F Bb Dm C-Verse in F Bb Dm C-Chorus riff in F Dm Bb C-Outro arpeggio riff with a descending L hand chord progression in F Dm Bb C I thought it would be nice if this song were a duet (perhaps between Logan and Aurora, so a male and female part), or maybe just sung from Aurora's voice. I have just sung the ones intended to be sung by her before (since most could go either way), but since this book is really her story, there are some that really can only be sung by a female. So that will be a project for the next soundtrack. More next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form! It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music. (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify. Join the mailing list for a digital free copy. You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book? Just email me at writejoshuablum@gmail.com for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/06/01/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-564-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-13-musical-interlude-making-an-ending-theme-in-f/

May 25, 202628 min

The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #563: Thirteenth Hour Sequel Update 12 - The Wayfarer Meets Logan and Aurora

This week, I'm reading from a random section from The Thirteenth Hour sequel draft. Last week, I talked about the Wayfarer, so this week happens to be a section where Logan and Aurora first meet him. I've mentioned a bit about the half elf freedom fighter, the Wayfarer, before, but this section gives a bit more characterization, as we get to know him more and more as the story progresses.More next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form! It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music. (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify. Join the mailing list for a digital free copy. You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book? Just email me at writejoshuablum@gmail.com for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/05/25/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-563-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-12-the-wayfarer-meets-logan-and-aurora/

May 18, 202632 min

The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #562: Thirteenth Hour Sequel Update 11 - Reading a Random Excerpt

This week, I'm reading from a random section from The Thirteenth Hour sequel draft. Last week, I talked about Aurora, so this week happens to be a section where Logan and Aurora reconnect with the new Imperial Rangers (formerly King Darian IV's all female guard) and invite them back to the island where they live for a visit. I scrolled to this section randomly but recall it was fun to write; I enjoyed being able to flesh out some of the side characters whose storylines interweave with the bigger plot. I've mentioned a bit about the half elf freedom fighter, the Wayfarer, before, as well as some of the characteristics of the new Imperial Rangers in previous episodes. The Rangers only visit for a short time, but you get the sense that this offers Aurora a rare chance at female companionship she doesn't normally get (and frankly, never really got before at previous points in her life). But she fits in well with them, and perhaps in another life, could have been one of them. I got the sense that Logan could have been fine living alone as a hermit in the woods with only occasional contact with other people, but I didn't get that sense entirely for Aurora. She struck me as the sort of person who could do it and probably would not mind most of the time, but as someone who never quite fit in most places and knew nothing about who she was and where she came from, finding "her own tribe" would have been a nice thing for her. So that's exactly what she does in the story. Of course, she ends up finding out it's not everything it's cracked up to be, but you can't have that realization unless you know for real. More next week!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form! It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music. (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify. Join the mailing list for a digital free copy. You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book? Just email me at writejoshuablum@gmail.com for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/05/18/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-562-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-11-reading-a-random-excerpt/

May 11, 202629 min

The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #561: Thirteenth Hour Sequel Update 10 - Aurora's Story 1

This week, I thought I'd discuss a bit about Aurora's backstory and some of the themes I wanted to touch on in the sequel to The Thirteenth Hour. Not all of the research/backstory always makes its way super explicitly in the actual text, but I usually create a history for the characters in order to help create things consistent. For Aurora, we already learned she grew up at an orphanage and knew nothing about the family of her origin. For this book, I have been filling in parts of her past we got only hints about before. I imagined that she was almost always the oldest kid in the orphanage and thus probably the tallest and biggest as well as someone who others would naturally tend to gravitate towards for comfort and support. I imagine she also entered puberty a bit on the earlier side (maybe 11), which is not always the kindest to girls that age. That often comes with some changes - menses, body changes, societal expectations, sometimes unwanted attention from men, etc. Aurora didn't exactly have a mother figure in her life, but the Headmistress of the orphanage and its staff (most of whom were probably women) kind of filled that role, and I imagine that since she was there so long, they would have viewed her as kind of a surrogate daughter and might have tried to shield her a bit from some of those things. That said, everyone has to grow up sometime, and I imagine she would have figured out these things on her own eventually. By the time we meet her again in this book, though, she's older (almost 30) and more secure in who she is. She's happy for the most part. Perhaps a little lonely and wondering if she and Logan will ever be able to have children, but all things considered, settled. This story does unbalance that a bit, but the changes are less external and more mental. In some ways, she serves as a voice of reason when it comes to some of the irrational/unhealth attitudes and views we tolerate but may still find unreasonable when it comes to family attitudes, societal expectations about gender and body shape, societal roles, and so forth. But as she encounters these things anew when she finally meets her own family, it causes her to question who she is and what parts (if any) of this part of her life that she wants to integrate into her old life.I have thought that for illustrations this time, instead of going the digital route, I'll use hand drawn watercolors and so will make some pictures this summer that will depict some of these things. I don't know if they will all make their way into the text but perhaps some for future short stories or maybe just to understand my characters better.∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form! It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music. (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/05/11/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-561-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-10-auroras-story-1/

May 4, 202641 min

The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #560: Thirteenth Hour Sequel Update 9 - Working a Fast Shooting Archery Technique , Ishi, A Wizard of Earthsea

This week, I'm playing around with a variation of the archery technique I was working on last week (holding arrows in my bow hand) but also combining it with another technique, holding a few in my drawing hand also. They each have their pros and cons, but I think Logan and Aurora might have played around with both, and probably others.At the suggestion of former show guest Billy Campbell, I have been reading the fantasy book, A Wizard of Earthsea. This is actually my third time trying to get into it - once as a child, once in my 20s, and then again, twenty+ years after that. Third time's the charm, I suppose. I found it quite difficult to understand before, but I think the combination of an initially unlikeable protagonist and the dreamy, myth-like writing style were initial barriers that have grown on me this round. The tale is a great example of how sometimes, you can and should break the rule of "show, not tell," because it is very much the sort of thing you might be told around a fire on a dark winter's night. One interesting fact is that the author of the book, Ursula Le Guin, had parents who were anthtopologists - Theodora and Alfred Krober. Alfred Krober was one of the anthropologists who worked with Ishi, the last of the Yahi people in California after they were killed in massacres in the late 1880s. In 1911, Ishi was "found" (i.e. emerged from hiding, half staved) and brought to San Francisco. He became part of an anthropology museum, working a job and demonstrating traditional Native American skills for museum attendees and forming what sounded like a genuine friendship with the anthropologists, who also recorded his reactions to 20th century life. He would later also befriend a University of CA physician, Saxton Pope, around archery, and their collaboration would basically form the basis for a re-mergence of traditional bowhunting in the United States. Unfortunately, Ishi died in 1916 of pulmonary TB. Alfred Krober was away on sabbatical at the time, and for whatever reason, Ishi's body underwent an autopsy, and his brain was removed. Alfred was very upset by all of this when he returned and found the subject quite difficult to talk about for years. Decades later, his wife wrote the book, Ishi in Two Worlds, that became very popular. The fact that Ursula Le Guin undoubtedly grew up hearing her parents talk about Ishi makes me wonder if her writing style for this book, reminiscent of a myth, was influenced by her parents' work, and if her protagonist for the book, Ged, portrayed as having reddish - brown skin, was not in some way influenced by Ishi. Of note, Ged was given that name by his master teacher, just as Ishi was given that name since no one knew his real name. I think the custom in his tribe was for someone else to introduce a person to another by name, and since there was no one else of his tribe left, the Yahi word for man ("ishi") was used instead. In Le Guin's Eathsea books, magic stems from knowing an object's true name. It's a sign of acknowledgement and respect that commands power and summons the natural forces of the Earth. Part of me wonders if this was again an ode of Ishi, who died without anyone in the living world know his true name. I don't know, but I do wonder at the connection. Pictures: https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/05/04/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-560-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-9-working-a-fast-shooting-archery-technique-ishi-a-wizard-of-earthsea/∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.

April 27, 202628 min

The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #559: Thirteenth Hour Sequel Update 8 - Trying a Fast Shooting Archery Technique Inspired by Thorgal

This week, I'm playing around with something I saw in a Franco-Belgian comic book from the late 70s/80s called Thorgal, written by Jean Van Hamme and illustrated by Grzegorz Rosiński, about the child of a race of people from elsewhere in the universe who crash land on Earth. The child (Thorgal) is raised by Vikings and grows up to be a very skilled archer. I just discovered this comic on a trip to visit my brother across the pond. We ended up taking the Chunnel from London to Paris, and there is this one section of the city where there are a whole bunch of comic book stores. We went into one that had mainly French comics. It was absolutely amazing in terms of art, though I only know a few words of French so could not really read anything. But I found a few volumes in English, and a Thorgal comic was one of them. I was attracted to the title of this volume (The Archers), and even though it was sealed (as is often the case with most comic book shops), decided I'd buy it on impulse.It was basically something I would have totally done as a kid - bought a book because the cover looked cool and opened it up to find I couldn't understand what I'd just bought since I'd purchased the 4th volume out of 9 or something and had missed all the backstory. But I will say, though that was technically the case, I have heard that these volumes are more stand alone-ish that typical American comics. I didn't have much trouble figuring out what was going on. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that Thorgal, his wife, and their son end up living on a remote island, just like Logan and Aurora do at the end of The Thirteenth Hour. My impression was that they did it for similar reasons, too - to be left alone in peace from the chaos of an ever intruding world. In the volume, there were a few scenes depicting characters shooting very quickly using a way of reloading arrows off the hand holding the bow, a technique I'd seen and tried before but never successfully. I tend to favor holding extra arrows in the hand drawing the string, but I thought I'd give this one another try. It looks like the illustrator knew a thing or two about this technique himself, and I love that he took the time to depict this little detail, probably knowing a lot of people would probably miss it. So in this episode, I play around with a few different techniques inspired by these panels. Though I'm drawing the bow with my thumb and not the pads of my fingers like the characters in the comic, I found that what is drawn does actually work, more or less. This is the hand position I found most successful, with the arrows under my middle finger:Anyhow, it's something I figured Logan and Aurora might find themselves using in the sequel, so I figured I owed it to myself to figure it out so I could write and draw about it. More coming soon!Pictures: https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/04/27/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-559-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-8-trying-a-fast-shooting-archery-technique-inspired-by-thorgal/∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form! It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music. (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi.

April 20, 202629 min

The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #558: Thirteenth Hour Sequel Update 7 - Worldbuilding the Isle of Misfits

This week, I'm reading from a draft of The Thirteenth Hour sequel that gets at the life that Logan and Aurora have created for themselves. This section is told from Aurora's perceptive:Satisfied that I had the gear I needed, I said goodbye to Logan and walked away from our house towards the ocean. Whereas Logan preferred hunting in the forest, I liked hunting in the grassy plain overlooking the tall cliff leading down to the ocean below. There was a stream, fed by melting snow from the purple mountains, that flowed through the grassy fields, off the cliff and down to the ocean far below. I loved walking along it, gazing out at the horizon into the cool blue waters. I’ll admit, it wasn’t always the prospect of catching dinner that motivated me to hunt there. It was partly the view and partly the occasional glimpse of the island’s wild horses that would rumble across the plain, kicking up a small cloud of dirt as they galloped through the grasslands.If you think anything like me, you might be wondering if we ever succeeded in riding the horses. The answer’s yes, though as with so many things, our ability to do so came from knowledge passed to us from the half elves. After that first encounter with Starlyn, he had returned, as promised, the next morning, just as Logan and I had been cleaning up the remains of breakfast (which was, not surprisingly, more oatmeal). One minute, we were scrubbing the pot (for a layer of the cereal always inevitably ended up charred to the bottom of the pot), and the next, Starlyn was standing in front of us. He performed the same bow followed by the flute greeting as yesterday then motioned for us to follow him.More: https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/04/20/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-558-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-7-worldbuilding-the-isle-of-misfits/More coming soon!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form! It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music. (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify. Join the mailing list for a digital free copy. You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book? Just email me at writejoshuablum@gmail.com for more details!

April 13, 202624 min

The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #557: Thirteenth Hour Sequel Update 6 - Worldbuilding Culture, Language, and Societies in The Thirteenth Hour Sequel and Travel Reflections

This week, after some time away (visiting my brother and his wife), I had a couple of reflections. Not only are our kids getting older and can do things like pull their own bags and navigate subway systems and sit through restaurant meals but they're also old enough to more fully appreciate differences in culture, language, and society much more so than when they were younger. It's cool to see! I mention that since in The Thirteenth Hour sequel books that I've been working on, one of the main characters from the first book, Aurora, ends up going to a different part of the world where she can't speak or read the native tongue. Though there is a common tongue that allows people to communicate, not everyone speaks it, and that presents barriers to Aurora when she first gets to these lands, and eventually for Logan and his party when they arrive in search of her. So though the things I touch on in this episode are not huge parts of the book, they lay the foundation and background for the worlds I've been trying to create in the story.More coming soon!∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Once Upon a Dream, the second Thirteenth Hour soundtrack, is now out in digital form! It is out on most major streaming services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube Music. (If you have no preference, I recommend Bandcamp since there is a bonus track there and you will eventually be able to find tapes, CDs, and special editions of the album there as well.)-Check out the pixelart music videos that are out so far from the album:-->Logan's Sunrise Workout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7SM1RgsLiM-->Forward: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9VgILr1TDc-->Nightsky Stargazing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0p3jKRTBo-->Aurora's Rainy Day Mix: https://youtu.be/zwqPmypBysk∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack!Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people.Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, Tunein, and Googleplay Music.Follow The Thirteenth Hour’s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack.Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away, the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify. Join the mailing list for a digital free copy. You can also get it on CD or tape.Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.comBook trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXYInterested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book? Just email me at writejoshuablum@gmail.com for more details!https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2026/04/13/the-thirteenth-hour-podcast-557-thirteenth-hour-sequel-update-6-worldbuilding-culture-language-and-societies-in-the-thirteenth-hour-sequel-and-travel-reflections/