Magic & Mountains

Are you an aspiring writer? Do you have stories in you that you are yearning to tell?

In this episode, T. A. reminds us of the power of stories to reach people across all distances, times, and languages. He shares the story of something truly bizarre that happened to him while at the Frankfurt, Germany Book Festival.

T. A. and Carolyn talk about how to use your whole brain while writing – and why that is important.

We will learn how to create a map, not of a place, but of the journey the key characters in a story must take.

T. A. will also remind us of one of the best (and most surprising) parts of writing. Tune in to find out!

Read T. A. Barron's essay, Growing Your Own Story.

Check out T. A.'s best-selling trilogy, The Great Tree of Avalon.

Follow @tabarronauthor or find us on Facebook for show information.

Magic & Mountains is hosted by T. A. Barron, beloved author of more than 30 books. Carolyn Hunter is co-host.

Magic & Mountains Theme Song by Julian Peterson

What are the three essential rules for writing the perfect novel? What is a story boat…and how do you keep it afloat?

Journey with us as we take a deep dive into the blue lagoon of creativity. T. A. and Carolyn explore the mysterious process of creative writing, bringing characters to life, bringing places to life, and bringing stories to life.

We talk about the value of voice… and how it's essential to make characters feel true. And we also discuss the importance of noticing, paying attention to what's inside ourselves and what's outside ourselves.

T. A. shares with us a few of his essential rules for writing, as well as his essential elements for every story.

Tune in to explore all this, plus, fantasy as a bent mirror!

Follow @tabarronauthor or find us on Facebook for show information.

Magic & Mountains is hosted by T. A. Barron, beloved author of more than 30 books. Carolyn Hunter is co-host.

Magic & Mountains Theme Song by Julian Peterson

If you asked the great wizard Merlin, "How do I live a meaningful life?" …what would he say?

In this episode, we continue our Merlin explorations in a rather surprising way, by visiting Merlin's Crystal Cave.

T. A. shares aspects of one of his smallest books that holds some of his biggest ideas, The Wisdom of Merlin: 7 Magical Words for a Meaningful Life. These are brilliant and magical words of advice from the heart of our favorite wizard. (Or you could say, Merlin's greatest hits.)

This episode will heal, inspire, and ignite.

Well…what are the seven most magical words? Can't tell you! Tune in to today's episode to find out.

Check out The Wisdom of Merlin: 7 Magical Words for a Meaningful Life.

Magic & Mountains is hosted by T. A. Barron, beloved author of more than 30 books. Carolyn Hunter is co-host.

Magic & Mountains Theme Song by Julian Peterson

What 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

What are Merlin's passions? What were his greatest heartaches? And how did he discover that nature was the true source of all magic?

In this episode, T. A. Barron describes why Merlin has become for him both a mentor and a friend. We explore how T. A. first discovered Merlin and what sparked him to begin writing his best-selling series the Merlin Saga.

We dive into the challenges he faced while adding to the tapestry of myth around this beloved character. A tapestry that began with oral traditions of the Druids and Celts and was first written down by Welsh monks 1000 years ago.

We discover three reasons why Merlin is still around today, and why we need him now more than ever.

Tune in to learn all this, plus what T. A. calls "the metaphor of Merlin."

Check out all 13 books in the Merlin Saga.

Magic & Mountains is hosted by T. A. Barron, beloved author of more than 30 books. Carolyn Hunter is co-host.

Magic & Mountains Theme Song by Julian Peterson.

Welcome to Magic & Mountains: The T. A. Barron Podcast!

In this first season, T. A. explores the creative writing process, the enduring magic of Merlin, the wonders and inspiration of nature (as well as the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss), the power of young people to make a positive difference in our world… and he'll also invite listeners to "see your life as a story." On some episodes, he will interview some truly wonderful guests; on others, you will hear T. A. sharing his own magic as a storyteller.