Raising Young Heroes with Michaella Gallina and Elise Strong
Magic & Mountains
This is a troubled time in our world. But each person has some personal power, some ability to help, even in the smallest of ways. Sometimes that is all we can do, and it is more than enough. How do we help impassioned young people to believe in themselves and take action to help the world? Meet Michaella Gallina and Elise Strong, two inspiring women, one a previous winner of the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, and the other, a mother of a previous winner. Michaella shares with us just how she started the Exceptional Rodeo for disabled children at the age of ten...
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Leadership and Identity with Dr. Doyin Atewologun
Magic & Mountains
Let us never forget that our choices matter, and our lives matter. During a particularly hard time in her own childhood, Dr. Doyin Atewologun kept a journal. She wrote the story of her life, and it helped her to remember where she came from… and where she longed to go. In this episode, she tells us about how she walked the trail from growing up in Lagos, Nigeria to now being the Dean of Rhodes Scholars at Oxford University in England. Excelling in leadership and inclusion with success and impact, Doyin shares with us how to expand our views on leadership, how to empower young...
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100% for the Planet with Kate Williams
Magic & Mountains
Perseverance — a quality essential to success. In this episode, T.A. talks with Kate Williams, CEO of a unique environmental group called 1% for the Planet, about the true meaning of perseverance — and how core values can lift an entire organization. Our world today faces huge environmental challenges. But only a tiny sliver of total philanthropic giving goes to environmental causes. Kate’s organization is on a mission to change that. How does she keep fighting, keep learning, and keep making a difference to our planet? Kate shares with us the core values of 1% for...
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Life Depends on Rivers with Tom Kiernan
Magic & Mountains
A leader brings the weather, and in this episode, President and CEO of American Rivers, Tom Kiernan, gives us a warm summer day (with a cool breeze) and a ton of enthusiasm. T. A. and Tom K. discuss how nature has the capacity to hold us in times of stress, loss, and deep personal struggles. We hear the heartbreaking and uplifting story of how Tom Kiernan has become a devoted protector of open spaces and wild places. And we reflect on the peace that nature offers us all – the reconnection and the renewal. We learn about our rivers, why we need them, the threats they are facing, and what...
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Crazy, Funny, and True: My Stories as a Wandering Bard
Magic & Mountains
Leave no book unsigned. And leave no bowl of homemade soup uneaten. In this episode, T. A. shares some of his favorite adventures from three decades of touring the world on his book tours. We travel from a small town in Alaska, to the top of the Washington Monument, to the island of Shikoku, Japan. From an early book event where no one showed up and even the host left for coffee, to filling bookstores and speaking to thousands at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry! Join us as we celebrate how T. A.’s creativity has inspired more creativity from fans… producing stories, movies,...
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The Voice of Story with Audiobook Narrators John Lee and Carolyn Hunter
Magic & Mountains
How do you bring a character’s voice to life in a way that is authentic? How does one get started in audio book narration? In this episode, we learn about the art of voice-acting and audio-book narration from two very different voices in the industry. John Lee, the brilliant narrator of the audio book version of T. A. Barron’s GIANT: The Unlikely Origins of Shim, as well as hundreds of other books, shares with us how he put his thumb in the air and hitch-hiked around the universe before becoming a voice actor. Carolyn Hunter, our very own co-host, shares with us her unique...
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How to Write with a Wide Open Heart (and a Magical Cat) with Jill Santopolo
Magic & Mountains
Jill Santopolo is an author, publisher, mother, and born storyteller. She gracefully weaves big moral questions, dilemmas, and choices into all of her books. In this episode, T. A. and Jill illuminate their creative process in working together as author and editor. They discuss how to add layers of richness and depth into books. They share why stories make us feel less alone, how to see a place as a friend, and what guides us through the challenges of creating authentic worlds. What does it mean to create something that is emotionally autobiographical? And what happens if you pat a magical...
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Writing from Your Soul with Patti Gauch
Magic & Mountains
Are we willing to walk with our characters? Are we willing to go far enough? Are we willing to let go to find transcendence? This episode’s special guest is former Editor in Chief of Philomel Books, Patricia Lee Gauch. Patti (as she’s known by her friends) was T. A. Barron’s editor for over 30 years – editing 27 of his 32 books. T. A. and Patti speak passionately about finding the core values of your story, then protecting and nurturing them, and letting them shine organically. Hear two seasoned writers explore the power of humor and magic in stories, as well as the importance of...
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Lighting the Candle of Story with Isabel Allende
Magic & Mountains
Stories emerge from the darkness… characters walk out of a mist… no map, no directions, just a candle and an invitation to muse. This is how Isabel Allende writes – with transcendence, vulnerability, and magic. In this wonderfully candid and soulful conversation, Isabel shares with us the heartbreaking story of how she lost her beloved daughter Paula, which inspired the book Paula. She also speaks about her sacred writing process, which can be a catharsis. She even shares with us an extraordinary perspective about life given to her by her grandmother. T. A. and Isabel share something...
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Make of Your Life a Light (My Favorite Quote) – Part II
Magic & Mountains
The spectacular journey of light continues. How has the metaphor of light inspired T. A. Barron throughout his life and writings? Gather round to hear… and also to help Tamwyn, the wilderness guide of Avalon, re-light the stars. Join us around this magical fire to hear more readings from T. A. Barron’s books, a musical performance by co-host Carolyn Hunter, and even… a love poem written by T. A. Barron for his wife Currie that has never been shared before in public. Listen again to the song "". Lyrics by T. A. Barron, music by Carolyn Hunter. "Avalon Farewell" is based on the...
info_outlineWhat is the historical origin of Merlin? Did Merlin have a different understanding of the natural world than the rest of us? Why have his legends persisted over all these centuries?
Travel with us to the land affectionately known as “Merlin’s Isle.”
T. A. talks with Carolyne Larrington at Oxford University, a professor of medieval European literature and fellow at St. John’s College.
We explore how traditional British folk tales attempt to illuminate and answer some of the biggest questions about life. Especially the wonderous tales about the wizard Merlin!
Carolyne shares her thoughts about the earliest works of Merlin, and how authors like Geoffrey of Monmouth, Mary Stewart, and T. H. White made these stories live so powerfully. She also gives us a lush description of why, more than 1,000 years after the first Merlin stories, this original wizard is still so alive in our hearts and minds today.
Tune in to travel back in time with us to the origins of Merlin. (Fitting, as traveling back in time was one of Merlin’s specialties!)
About Carolyne Larrington:
Carolyne Larrington is a professor of medieval European literature and official fellow of St. John's College at the University of Oxford. An expert on old Norse and medieval Arthurian literature, her areas of focus have included emotion and women and how they are portrayed in ancient tales. She is the author of many books, including The Land of the Green Man, A Journey Through the Supernatural Landscape of the British Isles; King Arthur's Enchantresses; and The Norse Myths.
Check out Carolyne’s book The Land of the Green Man, A Journey Through the Supernatural Landscape of the British Isles.
Magic & Mountains is hosted by T. A. Barron, beloved author of more than 30 books. Carolyn Hunter is co-host.
Follow @tabarronauthor or find us on Facebook for show information.
Magic & Mountains Theme Song by Julian Peterson