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We hear and tell stories every day. It's an integral part of the human experience. And what's more, we are living out our own unique stories too. The Writer's Lens is hosted by author, Josh "J.C.L." Faltot and discusses the importance of storytelling, publishing, passion and failure, and what it's like to view the world through the guise of a writer.
Episodes
Monday Dec 04, 2023
Monday Dec 04, 2023
Godzilla is an international icon in monster movie cinema. Recognizable by millions and adored by multiple generations. His inception - to those unaware - was Japan's response to the first, and only time, nuclear weapons were used in modern warfare. The bombs that hit Hiroshima and Nagasaki devastated the country and its people. And simultaneously gave rise to all manner of "what if?" scenarios about what could happen next should the bombs ever be used again in combat.
Today's episode looks back at the horrors of war, the destructive nature of the bombings, and the movie monster that was birthed out of it.
SIDE NOTE: There is a bit of static towards the end of this episode. I trust it doesn't detract too much from the content so hang in there till the end!
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Parenting is an easy task, isn't it? I mean, even a caveman could do it.
Dreamworks' "The Croods" features a family of cavemen struggling to survive in a world that is drastically changing. And in order to survive, the family's patriarch - and leader - must adapt to the changing world around them.
It might seem a stretch to use cartoon cavemen as a proper medium to discuss parenting, but this is The Writer's Lens, and by gosh, we're gonna do it. This episode is all about parenting and the many thoughts, techniques, and teachings on how to do it.
Saturday Nov 04, 2023
Saturday Nov 04, 2023
The Super Mario Bros. franchise is beloved from the east to the west. Its longstanding run in the video game industry has spanned nearly four decades and as of 2023, appears to have never been stronger.
Today's episode takes a brief dive into what I think helped to make Mario a household name in our culture. And it all started with jumping over barrels to save a princess.
Monday Sep 12, 2022
Monday Sep 12, 2022
The dystopian genre has grown exponentially in the Western world over the years. Book series like "The Hunger Gams" and "Divergent" have made people reconsider if the power structures in play are there for the betterment of all mankind - or to keep the masses in line.
Today's episode looks at dystopian storytelling - one of my favorites. Reason being how it pings the West's spirit of rebellion and its desire to be "free" from restrictive human governments. We'll talk some of the heavy hitters in this genre before talking culture towards the end as always.
Sunday Aug 21, 2022
Sunday Aug 21, 2022
"The best way to predict the future is to create it." - Abraham Lincoln.
Writers have been trying their best to predict the future for generations. Hundreds upon hundreds of imagined worlds await within the pages of acclimated sci-fi and fiction authors around the globe. But of those who take a stab at humanity's future, who has been right? Who has been wrong? But more importantly, who has the most troubled outlook?
Today's episode is all about the future. The good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between.
Sunday Aug 14, 2022
Sunday Aug 14, 2022
Aliens.
You hear the term and you instantly get an image of something otherworldly. Be it little green or gray men with giant eyes or terrifying insect-like beasts with acid for blood, the "alien" in most of the stories we know is exactly that: a creature we cannot define because we are unfamiliar with what - or who - it is.
This edition of "Stories I Like, Love, and Hate" features the little green men from Mars and what I am always sad to see missing from a good alien story.
Saturday Aug 06, 2022
Saturday Aug 06, 2022
Miss me? Well, even if you didn't, I have returned for this end-of-summer-return-to-podcasting episode. In short, my creative sabbatical has ended.
Within this podcast, I'll give you some updates on what's been going on with The Writer's Lens, what's happening now, and what's happening going forward.
- J.C.L.
Sunday Mar 06, 2022
Sunday Mar 06, 2022
As part of a short series I'll be doing this spring, here's the first "Stories I Like, I Love, and I Hate" - DINOSAURS edition.
Ever since I was a kid, dinosaurs have piqued my interest. And it's evident that these long extinct creatures are still pinging the imaginations of young people around the world.
With that in mind, I'd like to weigh in on some of my favorites and also one of the prominent franchises that nearly ruined it all for me.
Saturday Feb 12, 2022
Saturday Feb 12, 2022
A livestream follow up to my 2021 episode about the Heroes and Villains of our own stories. In this live episode, I look at why we might have more in common with the villains of our favorite stories than the heroes we admire.
Sunday Jan 30, 2022
Sunday Jan 30, 2022
Like the title implies, it's almost the end of January and I realized I needed an episode to kick things off. Get ready for some updates, looking ahead, and what to expect in 2022.