Poets At War

Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears. Today on the program, the Brood kicks things off by discussing the loss of America's open-road Route 66 culture and the modern feeling of being "stuck" in a hyper-regulated world. Then, Aaron shares the opening chapters of his new sci-fi/fantasy epic, The Sword of Simeon, where Hebrew slaves are rescued by space-faring dragons, prompting a great discussion on first-person epistolary storytelling.Later, Joshua details a Powerpuff Girls tabletop RPG he designed for his kids using Narnia analogies, dives into the historical and poetic patterns of the Zodiac, and opens up about the very real struggles of post-performance anxiety and the need for creative decompression.You too can be a part of the brood of writers and Poets at War. Just visit https://JoshuaDavidLing.com/Discord to join. If you're a true poetry patriot, you can support us on Substack and Patreon and get the recordings of all of our encouraging and strategic meetings, along with much more. Once again, all links can be found at https://joshuadavidling.com Over and out!Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro & Gathering the Brood00:08:48 - Walkable Cities vs. Route 66 Culture00:26:20 - Why Modern Society Feels "Stuck"00:35:10 - Using AI as a Creative Sounding Board00:44:00 - Aaron's Sharing: "The Sword of Simeon" Chapter 100:50:00 - Feedback on Aaron's Story00:54:50 - Aaron's Sharing: Chapter 2 & Further Feedback01:03:50 - Daniel's Updates & Financial Wins01:05:30 - Joshua's Sharing: Powerpuff Girls Tabletop RPG01:17:20 - Vintage Cars & The Freedom of the Open Road01:28:50 - Joshua's Sharing: Poetic Patterns of the Zodiac01:41:20 - Joshua's Sharing: Post-Performance Anxiety & Decompression01:54:10 - Checkout Conversations & Rare Coins

Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears.The episode from 12/16/25 kicks off with Abbi’s sharing and feedback period, where the Brood discusses how to craft a historical, third-person narrative voice. Abby also shares the touching backstory of writing her first draft while her family was temporarily homeless. The conversation quickly grapples its way into a hilarious, reimagining of the Rankin/Bass Christmas universe as a Game of Thrones-style grimdark fantasy.Joshua then dives into his sharing period, giving personal updates on his audiobook projects, the historical weight of naming his daughter after Lady Jane Grey, and lessons learned from his past life as a mobile DJ. In the second half, the Brood reviews their favorite Christmas movies, debates the tactical advantages of the mom in Gremlins, and explores the beauty of Queen Anne architecture. Finally, the squad lands on a brilliant nostalgic journey, breaking down the sci-fi brilliance of the old-time radio show The Shadow and the epic 90s wrestling storyline of Sting versus the NWO. The episode wraps up with a wild, real-life interruption from Carey and Jesse.Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro & Broodcast Roll Call00:01:21 - Abby's Sharing & Feedback Period: Crafting a Historical Narrative Voice00:16:03 - Abbi's Inspiration: Writing the First Draft While Homeless00:18:25 - The Codex Borealis: Rankin/Bass as a Grimdark Fantasy00:37:05 - Joshua's Sharing Period: Audiobooks, Christmas Plans, & Family Dynamics00:44:09 - The Legacy of Lady Jane Grey & Other Famous Janes00:52:33 - Queen Anne Architecture & Haunted Houses00:56:22 - Favorite Christmas Movies: Gremlins, Joyeux Noel & Classics01:07:20 - December Birthdays & Famous Birthday Twins01:16:24 - Joshua's Audio Tech Upgrades & Mobile DJ Background01:24:24 - Unique Family Names: Galadriel, Elsa, & Eowyn01:28:56 - Old Time Radio: The Shadow & "The Man Who Killed Time"01:34:11 - The Epic Wrestling Storyline of Sting vs. The NWO01:44:09 - Carey & Jesse's Update: Real-Life Interruptions & Outro

Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears.Today on the program, we gather the troops for the monthly Broodcast! The writers assemble in the barracks to share their latest dispatches from the creative front lines. The episode kicks off with Carrie sharing his frustrations over a lost 150-pound rogue hog in the Louisiana brush, while John (Jonathan Schleprock) gives an update on his permanent VA benefits and his successful Paladin series on Royal Road.The conversation quickly grapples its way into hand-to-hand combat, where the boys debate the tactical differences between Catch Wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu, the importance of neck conditioning, and why you shouldn't rely on a triangle choke in a real fight. Joshua then dives into the "Theology of Fashion," explaining his disdain for the homogenous corporate suit and why he chooses to wear a kilt and Hawaiian shirt as a ministry of art and personal expression.In the second half, the Brood reviews some fresh thumbnail art and laments the tragic intellectual property hoarding of franchises like Zorro and Narnia. Finally, the squad lands on a brilliant literary theory: why Tolkien’s Palantiri might be the perfect historical blueprint for understanding the dangers and utilities of Artificial Intelligence. The episode wraps up with a heavy metal Dwarven hymn and a tactical review of Joshua's latest audio drama casting calls.Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro & Broodcast Roll Call00:06:03 - Carrie’s Rogue Hog Hunt in Louisiana00:18:11 - Catch Wrestling vs. Jiu-Jitsu & Hand-to-Hand Combat00:33:29 - Social Media Skirmishes: Baptizing Babies on Threads00:44:09 - The Theology of Fashion: Kilts, Suits, & Zena Larr00:57:23 - Male vs. Female Fashion & Conflict Resolution01:01:24 - Thumbnail Art Critiques & Channel Updates01:07:24 - IP Hoarding: The Tragedy of Zorro & Narnia01:11:42 - Tolkien’s Palantiri as an Analogy for AI01:17:46 - Movie Aragorn vs. Book Aragorn & The Rankin Bass Hobbit01:24:52 - Dwarven Hymns: The Song of Durin01:41:46 - Audio Drama Updates, The Prophecy, & Casting CallsYou too can be a part of the brood of writers and Poets at War. Just visit https://JoshuaDavidLing.com/Discord to join. If you're a true poetry patriot, you can support us on Substack and Patreon and get the recordings of all of our encouraging and strategic meetings, along with much more. Once again, all links can be found at joshuadavidling.com. Over and out.

Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears. Today on the program, we gather the troops for the monthly Broodcast! The writers assemble in the barracks to share their latest dispatches from the creative front lines.First, Ian Wilson reads Chapter 4 of his sci-fi/fantasy novel, Heart of the Stars, where Eddie faces his fears in an entomology lab and later confronts bullies in the woods. Next, Brendan shares a visceral flash fiction piece titled "The Umbral Forces of Trag," exploring the dark, undead magic of Caltifas and his hounds. Abigail Falonga then pitches a complex Beauty and the Beast retelling featuring plant-based magic, ice walls, and thorny barriers, sparking a collaborative brainstorming session with the Brood. General Joshua David Ling steps up to the mic to read the next installment of his wrestling narrative poetry, where Jessica and Joshua finally turn the tables on the corrupt William Rothschild. Finally, Joshua reads a sci-fi chapter from Joel Stanley, diving into the telepathic nanite connections of the Astari and the emotional weight of being a "handler" for traumatized soldiers. The episode wraps up with Jesse Marsalis showing off a stunning gold-leaf masquerade mask and sharing a hilarious Hobby Lobby anecdote.Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro & Broodcast Roll Call00:07:45 - Ian Wilson's Story: Heart of the Stars (Chapter 4)00:22:14 - Feedback on Ian's Story00:32:16 - Brendan's Story: The Umbral Forces of Trag00:37:46 - Feedback on Brendan's Story00:42:49 - Abigail Falonga's Story Pitch: Beauty and the Beast Retelling00:46:12 - Brainstorming & Feedback for Abigail00:56:20 - Joshua David Ling's Poetry: Wrestling Ribs & Sweethearts01:07:25 - Feedback on Joshua's Poetry01:19:20 - Joel Stanley's Story (Read by Joshua): Astari Nanites & Handlers01:30:29 - Feedback on Joel's Story01:36:30 - Jesse Marsalis's Art: Golden Masquerade Mask01:39:50 - Outro & Sign-offYou too can be a part of the brood of writers and Poets at War. Just visit https://JoshuaDavidLing.com/Discord to join. If you're a true poetry patriot, you can support us on Substack and Patreon and get the recordings of all of our encouraging and strategic meetings, along with much more. Once again, all links can be found at joshuadavidling.com. Over and out.

Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears.This massive, wide-ranging transmission of the Poets at War podcast kicks off with Joshua David Ling and the "brood" discussing the intricacies of musical adaptations and the enduring legacy of audio dramas like Adventures in Odyssey. The conversation takes a wild, rural turn as Carrie shares stories of hunting and cooking exotic game, including pot roast beaver, skunk, and literally eating crow. This leads to a fascinating historical deep-dive with Mr. Wade, who schools the group on the surprising realities of Old West gun control, the complex origins of American slavery with figures like Anthony Johnson and John Rolfe, and the massive scale of the Islamic slave trade. In the second half, the tone shifts as Joshua addresses the rising tensions within the Christian creative community over the use of AI, issuing a heartfelt plea for unity and grace among artists. The group then flexes their theological muscles, debating the confusing "Baptism for the Dead" passage in 1 Corinthians and the nuances between Federal Vision and Classical Calvinism. Finally, they play a game of "theological triangulation," mapping their spiritual identities using historical giants like St. Patrick, John Knox, and Jonathan Edwards, before wrapping up with a poignant discussion on J.R.R. Tolkien's deep-seated hatred for the assembly line and industrialization.You too can be a part of the brood of writers and Poets at War. Just visit https://JoshuaDavidLing.com/Discord to join. If you're a true poetry patriot, you can support us on Substack and Patreon and get the recordings of all of our encouraging and strategic meetings, along with much more. Once again, all links can be found at joshuadavidling.com. Over and out.

Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears.Today on the program, we're bringing you a chronological double feature! We kick things off in the tactical trenches of tabletop game design as Brendan breaks down the "minimum viable product" and his unique faction mechanics. From there, we pivot to the modern media landscape to discuss the mysterious lack of mainstream audio dramas, before uncovering a startling revelation from the tech front: poetry is actively jailbreaking AI. The squad debates the philosophical implications of algorithmic censorship and the vital difference between safety and ethics.Then, we intercept the brood as they pivot to tackle a wild array of topics. Jesse shares his recent encounters debating eschatology and annihilationism with Jehovah's Witnesses at a local coffee shop. Ian steps up to introduce his fascinating theory of "Middle-Earth Creationism" and the ongoing apocalypse. Finally, the conversation lights up with the history of Christian pipe smoking (featuring a legendary historic exchange between Charles Spurgeon and D.L. Moody), a hilarious breakdown of the crew's Lord of the Rings counterparts, and a fiery rant about the cinematic sins of upcoming Narnia adaptations.Chapters:00:00:00 - Intro & Welcome00:00:56 - Tabletop Game Design & The Minimum Viable Product00:18:31 - The Mysterious Lack of Mainstream Audio Dramas00:33:05 - Adversarial Poetry: How Verse is Jailbreaking AI00:40:44 - AI Safety vs. AI Ethics00:47:24 - Debating Jehovah's Witnesses & Annihilationism01:04:00 - Postmillennialism & The "Ianverse"01:08:45 - Middle-Earth Creationism & The Age of the Earth01:16:00 - The Theology of Christian Pipe Smoking01:24:28 - Spurgeon's Legendary Burn on D.L. Moody01:30:00 - Assigning Lord of the Rings Counterparts01:44:25 - Greta Gerwig's Narnia & 90s Cinematic Sins01:51:53 - OutroYou too can be a part of the brood of writers and Poets at War. Just visit https://JoshuaDavidLing.com/Discord to join. If you're a true poetry patriot, you can support us on Substack and Patreon and get the recordings of all of our encouraging and strategic meetings, along with much more. Once again, all links can be found at joshuadavidling.com. Over and out.

Welcome to Poets at War, a podcast documenting the brood of writers, where art, theology, philosophy, and fun beckon your ears.Today on the program, we gather the troops for the monthly Broodcast! The writers assemble in the barracks to share their latest dispatches from the creative front lines.First, Brendan unrolls the map to Avalon, introducing us to a delightfully mad Hatter and a terrifying entity known as the Nephirim. The Brood discusses the mechanics of this world, the nature of the villain's wrathful powers, and the theological implications of "remnants."Next, Ian Wilson reads a chapter from his sci-fi/fantasy novel Heart of the Stars. We meet the eccentric Small family, a peculiar cat named Fred, and a young boy named Bucky living with his wicked aunt. The troops praise the Lemony Snicket-esque narrative voice and the deep character building.Then, General Joshua David Ling steps up to the mic to read for two absent troops. He delivers a masterful, Southern-drawl narration of Marty Frankham's Mark Twain-inspired historical fiction, following the life of Virgil Kane during the Civil War era. Finally, Joshua reads a tense sci-fi chapter from Joel Stanley, where the characters Zoe, Starlet, and Kira grapple with the fallout of an unauthorized cybernetic implant and the emotional weight of telepathic connections.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro & Broodcast Roll Call14:09 - Brendan's Story: Avalon, The Hatter, and The Nephirim27:19 - Feedback on Brendan's Story49:50 - Ian Wilson's Story: Heart of the Stars01:02:04 - Feedback on Ian's Story01:11:39 - Daniel's Update on "The Maiden's Child"01:13:05 - Marty Francom's Story: The Cane in the Field Prologue01:20:50 - Feedback on Marty's Story01:25:50 - Joel Stanley's Story: The Hidden Implant01:48:51 - Feedback on Joel's Story & OutroYou too can be a part of the brood of writers and Poets at War. Just visit https://JoshuaDavidLing.com/Discord to join.If you're a true poetry patriot, you can support us on Substack and Patreon and get the recordings of all of our encouraging and strategic meetings, along with much more!Troops, be your family's bard. Do not turn to the right or to the left, and the Lord will be with you wherever you go! Over and out.

Joshua David Ling sits down to celebrate the 250th episode of Poets At War, coinciding with the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States. In this heartfelt solo update, Joshua shows off a rare, vintage two-volume set of The Chronicles of Narnia—the exact American edition his father read to him as a child—and shares the joy of passing down The Horse and His Boy to the next generation of the Brood. He also gives a joyful family update on the upcoming arrival of his newest daughter, Jane!

But it’s not all show-and-tell. Joshua issues a serious, rallying challenge to the Brood: it’s time to stop complaining. Addressing the creative burnout, the "Eeyore" mindset, and the modern angst surrounding AI and global events, the General calls for a return to radical gratitude. Whether you're facing creative block or life's heavy burdens, it's time to get on your knees, thank God for both the good and the bad, and fall back into ranks with a jolly attitude. Plus, hear about Joshua's new van and his upcoming travel plans to Oklahoma!

Keep your heads down, grab your plotting boards, and keep your Bibles open! Join the Brood of writers and poets at war! Visit https://joshuadavidling.com/discord to join the community. If you're a true poetry patriot, you can support us on Substack and Patreon and get the recordings of all of our encouraging and strategic meetings, along with much more. Once again, all links can be found at joshuadavidling.com. Over and out!

Where is everybody for the Broodcast!? (This was actually filmed 11/28/2025. I messed up saying the date in the episode.)First, the crew dives into the trenches of storytelling as Joshua lays out a massive, 64-character sci-fi space battle. Brendan shares a masterclass on how to write a blockbuster action sequence, utilizing the "but/therefore" method, leveraging the environment, and explaining why your villains always need a proper distraction.Then, the sci-fi blasters are traded for theological artillery. What starts as a joke about "Oatmeal Stout" brews into a deep, trench-level debate on Federal Vision, church authority, apostolic succession, and the true definition of a teacher. Plus, the guys catch up on Thanksgiving, Skillet's new metal album, organizing commentaries, and the culinary merits of eating raccoon.Keep your heads down, grab your plotting boards, and keep your Bibles open!Join the Brood of writers and poets at war!Visit https://joshuadavidling.com/discord to join the community.If you're a true poetry patriot, you can support us on Substack and Patreon and get the recordings of all of our encouraging and strategic meetings, along with much more.Once again, all links can be found at joshuadavidling.com. Over and out!

Gather 'round for a massive episode of the Broodcast! In this Inkling-style Discord chat, our general Joshua David Ling is joined by a full house of creative comrades: Alexander Robertson, Daniel Reed, Joel Stanley, Ian, Brendan Sunshine, and Jesse. Together, they share their latest works in progress, offer sharp critiques, and dive deep into the philosophy of storytelling and worldbuilding.In this episode, the Brood covers a staggering amount of creative ground:Daniel Reed shares an atmospheric and cozy opening scene for his fantasy piece, A Maiden's Child.Ian Wilson brings the arachnophobia with a creepy prologue and an epic outline for his sci-fi adventure, Heart of the Stars.Joshua David Ling performs a heavy, emotional Civil War scene from Marty Francom's book, and shares the newest poetic installment of his own epic series, World of Wrestling.Joel Stanley delivers high-stakes sci-fi drama with mechs, aliens, and an incredibly annoying news reporter.Brendan Sunshine reads the opening to his script Sylvan Knight, a brilliant mashup of Isekai and Alice in Wonderland featuring a cat-boy named Chesh.Alexander Robertson brings the heat with a fiery, two-part book review of Arthur C. Brooks' The Conservative Heart.Jesse Marsalis pitches an incredible geopolitical fantasy world—complete with shoguns, ironclads, and a dark valley—that was entirely inspired by a Minecraft roleplay server!Along the way, the crew discusses the historical philosophy behind the Gatling gun, the nuances of traumatic brain injuries in wrestling, and the potential of using AI as a tool for traditional animation workflows.This ain't your grandmother's dusty old poetry book! Fall in, bookworm maggots! This is the Broodcast, happening the last Friday of every month on The Poets At War Creative Network!You too can be a part of Poets at War and the Brood. We want you, soldier, to be part of the family!For more epic poetry, audiobooks, and to join the community, visit: https://joshuadavidling.com