The seventh episode of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Factory explores how speculative fiction actually gets made — the grind, the vision, and the madness behind the worlds we can’t stop dreaming about. 

Hosted by writer, ranter, and raconteur Mookie Spitz, he sits down with Matthew Carauddo, creator of the Diamond Dragons saga — a richly illustrated six-book fantasy series blending martial arts, mysticism, and philosophy. But Matthew isn’t just an author: he’s a stunt performer, fencing instructor, voice actor, and videographer who’s spent decades creating worlds in motion — from live saber duels to psychological dragon warfare.

Together, they dive into the guts of creativity and world-building:

• The Genesis of Diamond Dragons: why Carauddo made dragons the heroes instead of human characters, and how each one embodies elemental, emotional, and spiritual power.
• Lightsabers, Fencing, and Flow: how a life spent studying motion, combat, and rhythm transformed his writing into something kinetic — fiction that moves like choreography.
• The Art of World-Building: how much is too much? Mookie questions when lore overtakes story; Matthew argues that immersion and mythology are the story.
• Psychological vs. Physical Conflict: why true heroism begins inside the mind — and how emotional warfare can hit harder than any sword fight.
• Cinema as DNA: from Terry Gilliam to George Lucas, from 12 Monkeys to Pulp Fiction, they unpack how film language shapes written fantasy — structure, pacing, and the invisible rhythm of storytelling.
• Craft Over Commerce: why creators keep losing their way when marketing execs take over art, and how to resist that gravitational pull.

And yes — there’s a spirited feud. When Mookie challenges Matthew on how to catch the attention of an “OMG backer” (that rare investor or champion who can catapult a creative project into orbit), Mookie says it’s about attention, audacity, and bold branding. Matthew fires back that true backers follow excellence and integrity, not algorithms. The disagreement highlights the essence of decision for indie artists circling the same truth from opposite poles.

What emerges is not just a conversation about fantasy — but about creation itself: why we build worlds, why we destroy them, and why some of us refuse to play by the rules.

The Guest

Matthew Carauddo is an American author, actor, and martial-arts choreographer best known as the creator of the Diamond Dragons fantasy saga. A veteran of over three decades in performance and stage combat, he’s a licensed fencing instructor through the Fédération Française d’Escrime and has trained hundreds of students in California. Carauddo blends his theatrical background with epic world-building, crafting Diamond Dragons as a six-book series that merges mysticism, martial discipline, and cosmic fantasy. He founded Diamond Dragons Entertainment to expand the universe across books, animation, and interactive media. 

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