Parallel Fiction

Ep 49: Dance & Gymnastics - Stick It & Tiny Pretty Things

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 04:00:00 +0000

We're back friends! In this episode, Heather is really in her element covering dance & gymnastics, two sports she has spent years devoted to. We'll be talking about the 2000's coming of age teen comedy Stick It as well as the recent entry novel in a series about dancers in NYC called Tiny Pretty Things - now a Netflix show. Theres a lot of current events discussed, including the state of gymnastics in America as well as the recent Olympic games in Tokyo. As always we bring some laughs and an analysis segment where we discuss our own opinions and beliefs. Enjoy!

Ep 48: Hard Workers - Spider-Man 2 & Little House On The Prairie

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 8 Sep 2021 16:49:19 +0000

Welcome back friends! In this episode we honor the importance of Labor Day in America, recapping two stories that really tell the full spectrum of what it means to "put in the work". Whether it be the honest day's work of the Ingalis family, or the toxic over-scheduled life of Peter Parker, everyone has known some degree of pride or burnout. We explore what it means on both sides of the scale and give our honest thoughts on which way is better for us. Join us and enjoy!

Ep 47: Crossing The Streams Vol. IV. Original TV Music - Always Sunny & Metalocalypse.

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Thu, 2 Sep 2021 21:30:25 +0000

Music is in the air! In this episode we present Crossing The Streams Vol III. and we'll be talking about two of our favorite shows, the iconic "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and the cult favorite Adult Swim original "Metalocalypse". Both of these shows have one thing in common, great original music! Whether or not you're into heavy metal or show tunes, the record sales and live show attendance of both shows speak for itself. We have a really fun conversation about both shows in our analysis portion and go over some of our favorite made-for-tv bands of all time (Robin Sparkles, The Beets, Spinal Tap, etc) Let us know what your favorite "fake" band is, or favorite musical TV episode and don't forget to follow us on social media!

Ep 46: Book Lovers - Misery & The Book Thief

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 04:00:00 +0000

Hey friends, welcome to another thought provoking episode of Parallel Fiction. This week we recognize Book Lover's Day with a pair of very different stories about fans of literature. This is a little bit of a heavier episode based on the subject matter, but we end up having a very lively conversation in our analysis portion of what a true fan looks like, how fans interact, and how each person loves literature differently. Join us as we recap the 90's classic thriller Misery staring Kathy Bates and James Caan, and also the celebrated 2005 novel turned 2013 film The Book Thief. Enjoy!

Ep 45: Parenting - Big Daddy & Someone Like You

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 04:00:00 +0000

Our secret is out! We're expecting our first child come January 2022 and we are over the moon! At the suggestion of one of our close friends & listeners, we're talking about Parenting this week with two stories that have grown up with us since the 90's. Adam Sandler's 1999 hit Big Daddy shows us a lot about growing up in a short period of time, and Sarah Dessen's 1998 novel Someone Like you teaches us what a new baby will bring, and how to (try) and prepare. We had a lot of fun in this episode, and are candid about our hopes and dreams for our little one to come. Take a listen with us and feel free to shower us in any pro-tips you've come across if you're a parent already! Enjoy

Ep 44: Art - Walk The Line & A Picture of Dorian Gray

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 4 Aug 2021 04:00:00 +0000

This week we finally get to show off our brand new Parallel Fiction cover art! Created with the help of the amazingly talented Greyson Art (@graysonart), we're proud update our look moving forward. In honor of the occasion, we decided to shine the spotlight on artists everywhere and to cover two stories that take us through the life and times of big creators. Showing the trials and tribulations of a struggling artist, Walk The Line takes us through the life of American music icon Johnny Cash. On the other end, Oscar Wilde's novel A Picture of Dorian Gray shows us the dark side art, influencers, and the deeper meanings of beauty and aesthetics. Join us for one of our most fun analysis breakdowns of these two works and talk about our past lives as artists (music and dance). Enjoy, and let us know what you think of the new look!

Ep 43: Crossing the Streams Vol III. Revamps - Gossip Girl 2021 & Cobra Kai

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 15:38:20 +0000

Welcome to Vol III of Crossing The Streams! This week we're looking at shows that aren't quite reboots/remakes, but a story that continues on years after the original has ended. Taking place long after the dust has settled, these shows give a shot in the arm to two franchises that have so much more story to tell. Join us as we dissect the YouTube Premium turned Neftlix powerhouse Cobra Kai - the continuation of the iconic 80's film Karate Kid - and a teen drama stylishly strutting into the modern era as we look at Gossip Girl 2021. Also, check back next week where we will be officially debuting our new and improved show artwork! Enjoy!

Bonus Episode: Parallel Fiction Vs The Inner Nerds - Movie Trivia!

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 00:13:50 +0000

Hey friends! Hope everyone is having a great summer so far. We were lucky enough to spend some time with our friends over at The Inner Nerds podcast and record a bunch of content for our listeners. We stepped into the Nerd Cave for some Movie trivia, and played a raucous game of BlockBuster The Party Game with nerds Stephen and John. Take a listen to the hilarity that ensues between 4 people who love movies, and when you're done hop over to the Inner Nerds and give them follow/subscription. Enjoy!

Ep 42: Vacation - Forgetting Sarah Marshall & The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 04:00:00 +0000

Its brutal out here! We're talking about the summer heat of course. What a better time to get away and enjoy the sun, sit by the beach, and crank your favorite podcast duo? This week we're taking you on a trip metaphorically through the scope of 2 of our favorite stories. We're breaking down the hilarious 2008 comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the wonderful coming of age novel "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" Both stories are sure to get your gears turning for a summer getaway, plus we break down all of the fun and exciting ways that vacations stick with us forever...even if you run into someone unexpected. Enjoy!

Ep 41: Aliens - Independence Day & War Of The Worlds

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 04:00:00 +0000

Aliens! In this episode we talk about 2 landmark stories that defined how extra terrestrial stories are presented. The original War of the Worlds is a trip back to the late 1800's and laid the template that Independence Day would follow almost 100 years later. Besides, everyone loves a good alien story! We also dive into our own fun theories about visitors from another planet and whether we think Earth has already been visited in the past. Lots of fun in this episode, come join us!

Ep 40: Video Games - Ready Player One & Fallout 4

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 7 Jul 2021 04:00:00 +0000

Hey friends and gamers, join us this week in celebration of National Video Game Day on July 8th as we cover two stories that jump from the screen an into our imagination. Both set in a dystopian future, Fallout 4 and Ready Player One encapsulate the role playing aspect of video games, as well as earning gear, solving difficult problems, and being entertained by a compelling story. This episode, we discuss some serious topics in the world of gaming such as Gamergate, time blindness, and healthy gaming habits while mixing in all the fun of sportsmanship, creativity, and world building. Enjoy!

Ep 39: Red Herring - Scream & The Woman In Cabin 10

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 04:00:00 +0000

Hey friends! Everyone loves a good mystery, and this episode we're serving up two. Back in the old days, Red Herring's were used to train & condition dogs to use their sense of smell better, by throwing them off trail with the pungent fish. In literature and film, Red Herrings are a plot device to purposely throw the viewer off the correct track in order to shock them later on in the story. The 1996 slasher cult classic Scream is the absolute definition of Red Herring, with its constant misleading clues and "Who Dunnit" mentality and a perfect pick for this episode. For our novel this week, Heather picked Ruth Ware's thriller "The Woman In Cabin 10" which has some shocking twists and turns itself, choosing to narrate the story from the future using news paper articles in between chapters, making you wonder if you ever truly know whats what. Enjoy and share with anyone who loves a good mystery!

Ep 38: Controversy - Dogma & A Spark Of Light

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 15:19:21 +0000

Hello all! Welcome back to Parallel Fiction. This week we will be covering controversial pieces of work, and with that we'd like to extend a trigger warning to all on numerous topics - if you feel that this episode may not be for you, we completely understand and hope to see you back in the next one. Otherwise, lets take a dive into some more thought provoking works - The 1999 comedy film Dogma (which was picketed at movie theaters when it came out) and Jodi Picoult's 2018 novel A Spark of Light. We dive into these two and discuss how people can try to better understand one another, and that our differences of opinion are sometimes what brings us together in the end. Enjoy!

Ep 37: FUN! - Wayne's World & The Princess Diaries (Novel)

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 14:34:58 +0000

Welcome back friends! We're now in the heat of summer and what better way to celebrate than with some good ol' fashion (TM) stories about FUN! In this episode, we take a look at the 90's classic Wayne's World and the novel The Princess Diaries - which would go on to be an iconic 2000's movie. We've been packing a lot of adventures and fun times into our summer already and hopefully our listeners are too. We'd love to hear that you all are looking forward to in the up coming hot months, and hope you pop your ear buds in, take a nap on the beach, and listen to some Parallel Fiction to unwind. Thanks for listening!

Ep 36: Jeff's Favorites - Uncharted: Drake's Fortune & Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 2 Jun 2021 16:49:24 +0000

It's Jeff's birth month! Keeping with the tradition set in episode 10, this episode is all about some of Jeff's Favorites. This episode is packed with two great adventure stories - The cultural phenomenon Star Wars A New Hope, and the PS3/4 landmark exclusive Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (soon to be a live motion picture). We're working on a fun summer for our listeners and want to thank everyone for their continued support. Enjoy!

Ep 35: Crossing The Steams Vol 2. TV Pilots - Stranger Things & Gossip Girl

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 26 May 2021 15:32:05 +0000

We're back with the much requested Vol 2 of our Crossing The Streams Series! This week we're looking at first episodes of beloved shows - Gossip Girl and Stranger Things. Both garner an intense and devoted fanbase, and both have seen many actors move on to very successful careers, but where did they all get their start? Join us as we compare the two, their impact on culture, and how they stand the test of time. Enjoy!

Ep 34: Service With A Smile - Clerks & What Happened To Goodbye

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 19 May 2021 15:11:38 +0000

Welcome back friends! This week is National Waitstaff Day, so we're honoring these awesome people who make our life easier. Especially with the world the way it is now, the service industry definitely needs our support and business. Our two stories today take place in different parts of the industry, but we can all agree that the folks in the service industry are over worked and underpaid. As former Waitstaff ourselves, we have a different outlook on the struggles these workers face today and this episode hits home for us. Join us this week & help support waitstaff/service industry when you can!

Ep 33: Short Stories - Batman: Dying Is Easy & The Man In The Black Suit

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 12 May 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome back! This week we're diving into two short stories that pack a big punch. When a creator is great, they can pack in a lot of context within a limited amount of space, and that's what we're celebrating in episode 33. Join us as we take a look at master story teller Stephen King's short work "The Man In The Black Suit" and also another story about a man in black, "Batman: Dying Is Easy" available on YouTube. Enjoy!

Ep 32: It's Gonna Be Me - Frozen & Iron Man Extremis

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Thu, 6 May 2021 15:19:45 +0000

Welcome to our first episode in May 2021 - It's Gonna Be Me! For obvious reasons, we got our idea from the meme/song that goes around every May and decided to take a personality test to figure out if we're 100% this ish. Oddly enough we scored for 2 characters we did not believe we had anything in common with, but pulled stories that bridge the gap a little. Find out if we ultimately accept our test results and follow the link below to see who you match up with! https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/characters/

Ep 31: Crossing the Streams Vol 1. TV Weddings - Scrubs & Parks and Rec

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the first episode in our "Crossing the Streams" specials. In these episodes, we'll BOTH be covering stories you can stream anywhere. For this week, we'll be covering TV Weddings, featuring two of our favorite shows of all time, Scrubs & Parks and Rec. With Wedding season upon us, and the weather getting a little bit nicer, what better time to spread the love? Join us for this special episode and let the love flow!

Ep 30: Earth Day - Bio-Dome & Oryx and Crake

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 14:21:50 +0000

Happy Earth Day! This week we're covering two very different outcomes of what can happen to the planet if we don't take a little time to think about our environment. Whether it be cleaning up litter, eating more sustainable food, or living a little more naturally, Earth Day is our early reminder to appreciate the world we were given, and to take care of it a little better. In this episode we thread together the 90's stoner comedy Bio-Dome with the dark dystopian novel Oryx and Crake. With the weather getting nicer, why not listen to this episode while taking a walk in the park?

Ep 29: Rebirth - Captain America: The First Avenger & The Language of Flowers

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff discuss Rebirth, honoring the beginning of Spring! Our hosts know it’d been a long year, and wanted to offer stories that focus on rebirth, leveling up, and refreshing your life.

Heather starts off the summary portion this episode with her presentation of The Language of Flowers which follows the complicated life of an orphan turned homeless person turned flower whisperer. Heather was pleasantly surprised by this novel and appreciated the surprising direction the second half took. Heather notes how the main character Victoria goes through many hardships in her life and how she overcomes them one by one to get through her path.

Fun Fact! The language of flowers actually exists and is called Floriography, and can be used to send coded messages with how flowers are arranged in a bouquet.

Jeff enthusiastically brings us to the second story of the week, his personal favorite super hero in his first film Captain America: The First Avenger. Jeff takes us through the beloved tale of Steve Rogers, a 90lb man with too many health ailments to be enlisted in the army, but is eventually transformed into a super soldier. Jeff notes how the character is reborn into his new life once the physical transformation takes place, however his closest relationships with his best friend Bucky & with Peggy, his love interest, remain the same despite the new circumstances of his life.

True Story! Despite Sebastian Stan (Buck) and Chris Evans (Captain America) being the same height, the director used camera tricks to make Evans appear taller than Stan.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as leveling up, pro’s & cons of a rebirth, acceptance from others, letting go of the past, and seizing new opportunities.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how The Chicken Sisters and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Enjoy this episode and share with anyone whose looking for a Rebirth this year!

Heather’s rating for The Language of Flowers: Very Nice – An unexpectedly good read that made Heather want to learn more about the history and meaning behind flowers!

Jeff’s rating for Captain America: The First Avenger: Very Nice – An awesome super hero movie with heart, awesome set design, and world building. While the sequel is the masterpiece of the trilogy, First Avenger holds its own as an all time classic.

Watch Captain America: The First Avenger here: www.disneyplus.com

Read The Language of Flowers here: https://www.amazon.com/Language-Flowers-Novel-Vanessa-Diffenbaugh/dp/0345525558

About Parallel Fiction:

Parallel Fiction is the perfect supplemental companion to all of the stories you consume. We will be covering movies, television, books, graphic novels, video games, and music whenever it applies. Learn more about things you love, and get to know us a little bit better as we give you a peak into our lives and opinions.

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Email Jeff & Heather: Parallelfictionpod@gmail.com

Connect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Parallelfictionpod

Ep 28: Siblings - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & The Chicken Sisters

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 7 Apr 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff discuss the joy of Siblings! Both hosts can talk to having siblings, but in this story they bring us two very different families. You’ll want to grab some food before you start this episode because both stories have some definite snack food cravings built in.

Heather starts off the summary portion this episode with her presentation of The Chicken Sisters. Heather takes of through the plot of two sisters battling it out on a fictional TV show over whose restaurant and kitchen has the best tasting chicken, all stemming back from a family rivalry years in the making.

Fun Fact! Author KJ Dell’Antonia is also a writer for the New York Times. Google her opinion piece titled “Why I Didn’t Answer Your Email” for further reading

Jeff whips up part 2 of the summary section with the 1990 movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Capitalizing off of the 80’s toy and comic craze, Turtles tells the story of 4 mutated ninja’s and their mutated rat sensei. Jeff points out that the teamwork and hierarchy of the 4 turtles plays a big role on every day siblings - there’s the jokester, the leader, the tinkerer, and the hot head (sometimes). Through the story, the main characters find out what family means to everyone, whether they’re a mutant turtle or the human characters in this movie.

True Story! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the highest grossing Independent film for most of the 90’s, but was dethroned by the Blair Witch Project (1999)

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as upbringing, conflicts, adult relationships, family first, and teamwork.

Heather’s rating for Twelfth Night: Nice – A fun read. Looking forward to follow this author’s career!

Jeff’s rating for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Super Nice* – Understandably biased rating, in reality this movie is more of a common person’s “Nice”, but is extremely sentimental to Jeff. Lots of awesome shots, quotable quippy dialogue, and great action.

Watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles here: https://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-Turtles-Koteas/dp/B001T5BZAO

Read The Chicken Sisters here:https://www.target.com/p/the-chicken-sisters-by-kj-dell-39-antonia-paperback/-/A-79664407#lnk=sametab

About Parallel Fiction:

Connect with us:

Email Jeff & Heather: Parallelfictionpod@gmail.com

Connect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Parallelfictionpod

Ep 27: Hijinks - Super Troopers & Twelfth Night

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff discuss the art of Hijinks. Being that its so close to April fool’s day, the duo decided to talk about pranks, shenanigans, and hijinks. Their stories this week highlight some playful deception, and a spirit of practical (and impractical) jokes.

Jeff begins the summary portion of the show, presenting the 2001 cult hit Super Troopers. Jeff guides us through the story that deals with TONs of pranks, hazings, and double crossing police officers. A cult movie for the ages, Jeff’s appreciation for this movie and the comedy group that brought it to life shows through his excited highlights.

Fun Fact! During the syrup chugging scene, real syrup was used by the actors for multiple takes. Thats….a lot of syrup.

Heather takes up the second summary segment, presenting the William Shakespeare play Twelfth Night. Later turned into the film She’s The Man, this story’s hijinks come in the form of mistaken identities and practical jokes. There are a lot of character switches, both in name and presented gender, as well as the usual Shakespeare wit. This play reads much funnier than others, and still holds up today.

True Story! The first recorded stage performance of Twelfth Night was in 1602

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as pranks in good fun, going too far, deception, and apologies.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Super Troopers and Twelfth Night compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Enjoy this episode and share with anyone who appreciates hijinks and shenanigans!

Heather’s rating for Twelfth Night: Nice – A fun, lesser appreciated Shakespeare story.

Jeff’s rating for Super Troopers: Very Nice – A great cult film that still holds up today. TONS of quotes & references.

Watch Super Troopers here: https://www.amazon.com/Super-Troopers-Jay-Chandrasekhar/dp/B000I9VZCU

Read Twelfth Night here: https://www.amazon.com/Twelfth-Night-Folger-Shakespeare-Library/dp/0743482778/ref=asc_df_0743482778/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312009759033&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14190616476383814704&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003664&hvtargid=pla-464920498934&psc=1

About Parallel Fiction:

Connect with us:

Email Jeff & Heather: Parallelfictionpod@gmail.com

Connect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Parallelfictionpod

Ep 26: Time Travel - Back To the Future & The Time Traveler's Wife

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff dive into some Time Travel classics. After a fun opening conversation, the two talk about their recent launch on YouTube, getting the first round of vaccine shots, and how hard it was to pick topics out of such a rich category.

Heather starts first in the presentation portion with The Time Traveler’s Wife. Heather praises the internet for helping her out with notes this week, as this story has a lot of specific pieces. A modern day classic, Heather makes the super natural story line seem more human through her summary, and admits this is a story that got her to shed a few tears at the end.

Fun Fact! The manuscript for The Time Traveler’s wife was rejected by over 25 publishers before it was eventually picked up. Thats 25 people kicking themselves for passing on this book.

Jeff brings us back into the second portion of summaries with the all time classic film Back to the Future. Jeff notes that because of the extraordinary popularity of the film, his review will be less detailed, but sprinkled with fun facts from the Hulu documentary Back In Time. After a fun walk through of the basic plot, Jeff makes good on production facts and actor anecdotes around the time of filming.

True Story! Back To The Future filmed its first 6 week with Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly before being let go for the production. There is footage on YouTube of this alternate version for anyone curious!

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as changing the past, the butterfly effect, what you would time travel for, and the modern day science of time travel.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Back To The Future and The Time Traveler’s Wife compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Enjoy this episode and share with anyone who appreciates a good time travel romp!

Heather’s rating for The Time Traveler’s Wife: Super Nice – An extremely unique take on time travel that will have you gripped for the entire novel.

Jeff’s rating for Back To The Future: Super Nice – An all time classic, if you haven’t seen this movie yet, what are you waiting for?!

Watch Back To The Future here:https://www.amazon.com/Back-Future-Michael-J-Fox/dp/B00439FUYA

Read The Time Traveler’s Wife here: https://www.amazon.com/Time-Travelers-Wife-Audrey-Niffenegger/dp/015602943X

About Parallel Fiction:

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Email Jeff & Heather: Parallelfictionpod@gmail.com

Connect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Parallelfictionpod

Ep 25: Irish Stories - The Secret of Kells & Dubliners

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff bring stories from Irish artists into focus as they celebrate St. Patricks Day. Pulling inspiration from the green holiday, the hosts made sure to feature work that was created outside of their home in the US. Heather and Jeff talk about the critically acclaimed animated film The Secret of Kells and the Eveline portion of James Joyce’s masterpiece Dubliners.

Heather starts first in the presentation portion with the Eveline short story of Dubliners, a novel that is broken up into many separate (parallel) stories of Irishmen and women of all ages in the early 1900’s. Heather commends the nuance and heartbreak of the main character Eveline, and her struggle to move from Ireland. The ending particularly stuck with Heather, as writer James Joyce struck a nerve with all of the short stories of Dubliners that stick with most readers long after they have finished the book.

Fun Fact! The standard "This movie is a work of fiction" disclaimer gets a little twist at the end: "Nobody was robbed during the making of this movie. Except you."

Jeff brings us back into the second portion of summaries with the animated feature film The Secret of Kells, which is the fictionalized story of the real life Book of Kells. Set in the 800’s, the film depicts a ton of medieval Irish lore that often times gets forgotten in pop culture. Jeff notes that all of the imagery and legends mentioned in the film inspired him to look up more and go down a rabbit hole of research. An Oscar nominated film, The Book of Kells is much more than the children’s move it pretends to be.

True Story! While the plot of the film is fictional, the Book of Kells is very real. We highly recommend you google it and take a look at some of the pages.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as traditions, culture, landscape, personal growth, and Irish pride.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Dubliners and The Secret of Kells compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Enjoy this episode in St. Patricks Day and every day after for some stories from the Emerald Isle!

Heather’s rating for Dubliners: Very Nice – Even though there is a heavy feeling to every short story, they are all so well written. James Joyce’s writing style is something to be celebrated.

Jeff’s rating for The Secret of Kells: Very Nice – A great animated movie worth your time on its visuals at minimum. That being said, there are some problematic depictions of POC.

Watch The Secret of Kells here:https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Kells-Brendan-Gleeson/dp/B00AA468WU/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+secret+of+kells&qid=1615944264&sr=8-2

Read Dubliners here: https://www.amazon.com/Dubliner-James-Joyce/dp/1072913003/ref=pd_lpo_14_t_0/135-2331684-7260936?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1072913003&pd_rd_r=b0a18a68-a0a6-49a7-8b22-06cfa10b8a29&pd_rd_w=uTlM4&pd_rd_wg=13Ohw&pf_rd_p=2eae1586-a44a-4b21-997a-1dfc1740e496&pf_rd_r=015TC1MWAMR2QCCJTDEE&psc=1&refRID=015TC1MWAMR2QCCJTDEE

About Parallel Fiction:

Connect with us:

Email Jeff & Heather: Parallelfictionpod@gmail.com

Connect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Parallelfictionpod

Ep 24: Luck - Logan Lucky & The Joy Luck Club

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff try to look for that pot of gold and break down the meaning of Luck. Whether it be from perseverance, or breaking a family curse, the two discuss stories where luck plays a big role in the protagonist’s life.

Jeff starts off the first presentation segment with the movie Logan Lucky starring Channing Tatum and Adam Driver. Jeff takes us through the story of the Logan brothers, who are planning a heist despite lifelong bad luck. Jeff emphasizes the stellar cast, with standout performances from Daniel Craig and Riley Keough. Heather and Jeff’s banter about the other cameo’s in the cast make this film seem like a top contender for Jeff’s rating.

Fun Fact! The standard "This movie is a work of fiction" disclaimer gets a little twist at the end: "Nobody was robbed during the making of this movie. Except you."

Heather picks up the second segment of presentations with her review of classic novel The Joy Luck Club. Heather takes us through the plot with some funny side bars with Jeff. Despite the heavy nature of the novel, Heather makes the characters and many storylines easy to digest.

Fun Fact! The film adaptation of The Joy Luck Club was the first Hollywood feature film with an all Asian Cast.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as divine luck, breaking an unlucky streak, contagious luck, feeling lucky, and luck meeting experience.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Logan Lucky and The Joy Luck Club compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Share this episode with everyone who can use a great story!

Heather’s rating for The Joy Luck Club: Nice – A classic novel that may be a little too heavy to read quickly. Very thought provoking.

Jeff’s rating for Logan Lucky: Super Nice – A hidden gem of a movie with a stacked cast and the perfect type of dry humor that fans of Cohen Brother’s movies will appreciate. Definitely a must see from Jeff.

Watch Logan Lucky here: https://www.amazon.com/Logan-Lucky-Farrah-Mackenzie/dp/B074SWRQ15

Read The Joy Luck Club here: https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Luck-Club-Novel/dp/0143038095

About Parallel Fiction:

Connect with us:

Email Jeff & Heather: Parallelfictionpod@gmail.com

Connect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Parallelfictionpod

Ep 23: True Story - I,Tonya & Room

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 3 Mar 2021 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff flip the script and talk about True Stories. They specify that in this episode, the “fiction” they are presented are based off of real life events, and that the common theme of these sensationalized events show us a lot about ourselves.

Heather begins the show by presenting Room by Emma Donoghue, loosely based off of the real life Fritzl case from Austria. Heather issues several trigger warnings for this summary, as it deals with issues such as rape, suicide, kidnapping, incest, and child abuse. While the novel Room is down scaled from the truly unbelievable real story it takes inspiration from, the journey and ending both have positive messages of survival and renewal. Heather couldn’t put this book down and read it in 1 sitting, and praised the writers ability to grip the reader.

Did you know? Actor Brie Larson won the Academy Award for best actress as her role of Ma in the film screen adaptation of Room

Jeff takes us back through the second summary segment, highlighting the 2017 film I, Tonya based off of former US Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding, who is infamous in her own right. Jeff takes us through the biopic, which makes Tonya more relatable as a victim of emotional and mental abuse from both her mother and husband. The film gives the viewer an ambiguous retelling of the actual events leading up to the infamous attack on fellow figure skater and rival Nancy Kerrigan. Jeff praises the film’s ability to re-tell events but also not absolve sympathetic characters of all wrong doing.

Fun Fact! Margot Robbie, who plays Tonya, had no idea this was a real story until after she read the script! Some times life is stranger than fiction.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as morbid curiosity, story accuracy, when real life hits too close to home, and inspiration through hardships.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Room and I, Tonya compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Share this episode with everyone whose a sucker for a true story!

Heather’s rating for Room Very Nice – A heartbreaking, yet compelling story. This will tug at the heart strings, but is not for everyone - especially those who may be triggered by the material.

Jeff’s rating for I, Tonya: Super Nice – Academy Award winning acting, dark humor, and nostalgia rocket this movie into Super Nice territory. While the re-watch factor is low, this is a must see.

Watch I, Tonya here: https://www.hulu.com/movie/i-tonya-f5636efa-9f93-453c-b3a7-e7b377c004b9

Read Room here: https://www.amazon.com/Room-Novel-Emma-Donoghue/dp/0316098337

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Ep 22: Obsessions - Ingrid Goes West & The Secret Patient

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff take a close look at Obsessions. Specifically they look at characters with unhealthy lifestyles, infatuations, and self-destructive habits that cloud their morals.

Heather beings the show by presenting The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. Told through the perspective of two main characters, Heather unfolds the story which deals with mental illness, murder, mystery, and the obsessions that drive the main characters. Heather was able to finish this book, which says a lot, and was actually blown away by a huge twist in the tail end of the novel.

Did you know? The Silent Patient debuted on the NYTimes bestseller list at #1. Not bad!

Jeff brings us back for part 2 of the summary portion of the show, outlining the film Ingrid Goes West starring Aubrey Plaza and Elizabeth Olsen. The story follows Ingrid, as Jeff mentions, who is addicted to her phone and also may need professional treatment for other issues. Jeff thinks the movie really picks up once Ingrid lands in California and befriends Dan, and later Taylor (Olsen). Our host mentions that this is a dark comedy and may not be for everyone, but conveys a lot of social commentary on our lives with phones and internet influencers.

Fun Fact! Much like his character in the film, Wyatt Russell does not participate in social media at all.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as admiration, healthy fandom, comparing lives, going too far, and self esteem issues.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Ingrid Goes West and The Silent Patient compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Share this episode with everyone who loves thrillers in your life!

Heather’s rating for Marley And Me: Very Nice – A great read that you’ll blow through once you get going.

Jeff’s rating for Ingrid Goes West: Very Nice – Top notch acting and an interesting plot push this rating past just Nice. A thought provoking take on what social media does to a person.

Watch Ingrid Goes West here: https://www.amazon.com/Ingrid-Goes-West-Aubrey-Plaza/dp/B074T4MBHB

Read The Silent Patient here: https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Patient-Alex-Michaelides/dp/1250301696

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Ep 21: Pets - How To Train Your Dragon & Marley And Me

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff celebrate the companions we keep, and the stories that highlight their importance. Heather and Jeff are presenting two stories about Pets, the theme of the show, and giving their honest and emotional opinions on what it means to own, raise, and bond with a pet.

Heather begins the summary portion with an outline of Marley and Me, an autobiography from John Grogan. She beings by explaining that this is not a fictional piece of work, but lets it slide as this could be anybody’s story and fits the theme well. The memoir follows the Grogan family as they experience the growing pains of owning a hyper active dog. Heather gets very emotional talking about the last days of Marley’s life, and reflects on how that’s often times the worst part of owning a pet.

Did you know? In the film adaptation, 22 dogs played the role of Marley, at different stage throughout his life.

Jeff brings us back for part 2 of the summary portion of the show, outlining the 2010 computer animated classic How To Train Your Dragon. In the story, Jeff presents the bond between main character Hiccup, and his unlikely pet and ally Toothless. Through sweet moments between the two, the kid and dragon end up understanding each other and forming a bond that saves Hiccup’s Viking village. Jeff explains the similarities between the dragon and a cat, and appreciates how the film doesn’t talk down to children, its intended audience. Instead, the film was just as enjoyable to Jeff as an adult and for all ages.

Fun Fact! Music director John Powell was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on this film, but lost to Trent Reznor. Not a bad loss though, as Reznor is a decorated producer with credits in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, the Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as choosing a pet, responsibility, naming your pet, giving time & attention, and cherished memories.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Marley And Me and How To Train Your Dragon compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Share this episode with all the pet lovers in your life!

Heather’s rating for Marley And Me: Nice – If you’re a pet owner, you will really enjoy this story. The memoir moves a bit slow, the movie may be a better choice.

Jeff’s rating for How To Train Your Dragon: Super Nice – Even though we don’t put any stock in the Rotten Tomatoe’s score, this movie sits at 99% fresh as of February 2021 and has earned every bit of that.

Watch How To Train Your Dragon here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Train-Your-Dragon-Collection/dp/B07NN37WHT

Read Marley And Me here: https://www.amazon.com/Marley-Me-Life-Worlds-Worst/dp/0060817097

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Ep 20: Love - 10 Things I Hate About You & The Lucky One

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff present listeners with a nice box of chocolates, some red roses, maybe a teddy bear, and some great Love stories in honor of Valentine’s Day. Good news for the couple, as international listener ship has grown in 2021 and the bright side everything is right around the corner. The pair present their stories, analyze the two, and give us ratings and recommendations in a very entertaining episode.

Heather begins the summary portion with an outline of Nicholas Spark’s 2008 novel The Lucky One. Following the story of a driven veteran who is granted special luck from a photo, The Lucky One brings together two people despite outside interference of a demented ex-husband and the questionable motives of our main character Logan. Though at the end, true love prevails. Heather points out the suspenseful ending and the sweet exchanges between the characters of Logan and Ben, his love interest’s son.

Did you know? In the film adaptation, the main character Logan was played by Zack Efron, however Nicholas Sparks wrote the role for Ryan Gosling, who appeared in another film written by Sparks, 2004’s The Notebook.

Jeff picks up part 2 of the summary portion with the beloved 1999 teen romance comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, starring the late Heath Ledger. Jeff points out that many of the cast members have gone on to great careers in the last 20 years since its release, including two Academy Award winners (Ledger & Allison Janney). A fun and lighthearted romp, 10 Things I Hate About You gave Jeff the best of a 90’s/00’s movie and can teach people a thing or two about love, as it includes many of the typical rom/com tropes.

Fun Fact! Julia Stiles only shot 1 take of her famous “10 Things I Hate About You” poem. We think she nailed it too.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as first impressions, falling in love, natural chemistry, honesty, and cliche/tropes.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how The Lucky One and 10 Things I Hate About You compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Share this episode with anyone who loves rom com’s, date nights, or steamy romance novels!

Heather’s rating for The Lucky One: Nice+ – A great novel but not Nicholas Spark’s best. That being said, still a quality read, especially for a great ending.

Jeff’s rating for 10 Things I Hate About You: Very Nice – an awesome coming-of-age movie that has gracefully navigated through the decades. Great performances by Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger anchor this film and there are some cute lessons to be learned.

Watch 10 Things I Hate About You here: www.disneyplus.com

Read The Lucky One here: https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-One-Nicholas-Sparks/dp/1455508977

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Ep 19: Childhood Favorites - The Lion King & Final Fantasy VII

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 3 Feb 2021 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff breathe life into Childhood Favorites from their own youth. The stories covered today were very impactful on the duo, and stay with them to this day in their own special way. Listen as Jeff and Heather discuss how two seemingly different pieces of work fit together through the scope of a pair of maturing adults, and how holding on to some things from their childhoods help them grow into the people they are today.

Jeff starts off the outline portion of the show by presenting the Squaresoft (now Square Enix) mega hit Final Fantasy VII, which was released in the US in 1997. Jeff compresses a 40+ hour experience into an easily digestible summary, taking us through protagonist Cloud’s struggle to find his place in a work being slowly destroyed by big corporations and genetic anomalies. Jeff explains how he used to stay up late at night and play through this game, often losing track of time at the sheer mass of this world. A completely immersive experience, Final Fantasy VII was a powerhouse of a video game in the 90’s and one that Jeff will always remember fondly, especially for a genre defining masterpiece scene.

Did you know? FFVII was originally developed for the N64, but file storage restrictions made the game impossible to squeeze onto 1 cartridge, hence why the 3 CD game was released for Playstation 1.

Heather picks up part two of the presentation portion with her movie pick of the week, Disney’s 1994 masterpiece The Lion King. Heather explains that even from an early age, she was obsessed with this film in a way that most people can relate to. Heather’s enthusiasm for this movie shines through her outline, with storybook retellings of key scenes (complete with some fine acting skills). Heather tries to explain just how much The Lion King means to her, but it is so massively influential that it’s hard to even put into words. She really does speak of this film with the wonder of a child.

Freaky Fact! Some reddit users have theorized that the skull that Scar is playing with while Zazu is singing to him towards the end of the film is actually Mufasa’s skull! Gross.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as then vs now, obsession, comfort, sound/visuals, and lasting impact.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how The Lion King and Final Fantasy VII compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Share this episode with anyone who loves 90’s nostalgia and childhood memories as much as we do!

Heather’s rating for The Lion King: Super Amazing Nice – A new rating above all else. The Lion King is a sewn into the fabric of society and a can’t miss animated movie for all ages, that will likely live on forever.

Jeff’s rating for Final Fantasy Vii: Very Nice – While the visuals don’t hold up today, there is still a special charm about this game. The music is 10/10 and the story was so impactful that it is the measuring stick of the franchise, and has built a community that will live as long as video games do.

Watch The Lion King here: www.disneyplus.com

Play Final Fantasy VII here for Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/final-fantasy-vii/id1021566244

And here for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.android_googleplay.FFVII&hl=en_US&gl=US

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Ep 18: Crime - Sharp Objects & Defending Jacob

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff dive into Crime. Whether it be from the news or from Netflix, crime is a gigantic part of society and prevalent in every era of storytelling. Jeff and Heather present two stories that have deviated from the norm, and include twists you’ll never see coming.

Heather kicks off the summary portion of the show, presenting the Gillian Flynn novel Sharp Objects. Heather gives a brief trigger warning before getting into this story’s main character, who is struggling with self harm. Heather takes us through the novel, from the main character’s return to her hometown to find a gruesome murder to cover, to her delusional and manipulative mother. Sharp Objects has a lot of surprises and the ending shocked Heather, who is usually great at solving mysteries.

Did you know? Prior to writing her debut novel, Gillian Flynn was a reporter for Entertainment Weekly.

Jeff takes us into pt 2 of the presentations with the Apple+ mini-series Defending Jacob starring Chris Evans as assistant district attorney Andy Barber, as he tries to protect his son Jacob from murder charges. Jeff wraps up the 8 part series into a nice bow, including the twists and turns of a family struggling with uncertainty. Jeff praises Chris Evan’s work as a standout role, drawing a strong line between his morally untouchable previous role as Captain America.

Fun Fact! Chris Evan’s played the older version of actor Jaeden Martel (Jacob) in the film Playing It Cool.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as intrigue, investigation, morality, consequences, and punishment

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Sharp Objects and Defending Jacob compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Share this episode with anyone who loves a great crime story!

Heather’s rating for Sharp Objects: Very Nice – One of the best Gillian Flynn novels, great for uncommon crime lovers

Jeff’s rating for Defending Jacob: Very Nice – A very suspenseful, thrilling mini-series. Great performances by all cast members.

Watch Defending Jacob here: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/defending-jacob/umc.cmc.5h5mr0shyyqqahqdv55ywyilr

Read Sharp Objects: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18045891-sharp-objects

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Ep 17: Justice - The Punisher & Where The Crawdads Sing

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff deal with the heavy subject of Justice. Pulling stories where justice is carried out by the main character, the Parallel Fiction duo discuss the meaning of Justice in America, where it can go wrong, and what the system can and can’t do.

Jeff begins the outline portion of the show by presenting the 2004 film The Punisher starring Tom Jane & John Travolta. Before the summary, Jeff reads a quote by the character’s creator Gerry Conway in response to the rampant misuse of the iconic Punisher skull and how the character doesn’t and shouldn’t represent real life justice. Jeff gives an outline of the action movie with additional quotes from film itself about how the punisher is the antithesis of legal and fair judgement. Jeff points out how, despite the heroic nature of the movie, how the character is essentially a murderer & vigilante.

Did you know? Tom Jane, who plays the Punisher Frank Castle, put on 20 pounds of muscle by training for 7 months with Navy Seals to train for this role.

Heather anchors the second half of the summary section with her outline of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Main character Kya spends her life alone in the marsh collecting shells and living off the land. Heather takes us through her life, which includes being shunned by the community as a child, to being a renowned book writer on marine wildlife. Events take a turn when one of her former lovers is murdered & Kya is put on trial but later acquitted. Though she lives the rest of her life in peace, it is discovered she really did commit the murder she was accused of.

Fun Fact! Where The Crawdads Sing was Delia Owen’s debut novel, however it spent an accumulative 32 non-consecutive weeks on top of the NYTimes best seller list.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as karma, inside/outside of the boundaries of the law, punishment, morality, and real life examples of the American justice system’s flaws.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how The Punisher and Where The Crawdads Sing compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy!

Heather’s rating for Where the Crawdads Sing: Super Nice – A powerhouse debut novel & a must read. This novel inspired Heather to increase her reading time

Jeff’s rating for The Punisher: Hot Trash – A total junk food movie, but still one that can’t be passed up while flipping through the channels on a lazy weekend day. Check out the Netflix Punisher series for real substance.

Watch The Punisher here: https://www.amazon.com/Punisher-Thomas-Jane/dp/B000QE9ERU

Read Where the Crawdads Sing here: https://www.amazon.com/Where-Crawdads-Sing-Delia-Owens/dp/0735219095

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Ep 16: Sh*t Show - Little Fires Everywhere & Tropic Thunder

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff cover stories that seem to just pile on. We’re talking about Sh*tshows! In this episode, our hosts bring two stories where the characters are put through a lot with seemingly no end in sight.

Heather presents her summary of the 2017 Celeste Ng novel Little Fires Everywhere. Heather tries to find redeeming qualities in every sub plot, which is told form a heavy and bleak view point. Despite all of the hardships faced in this novel, Heather really enjoyed reading this story and sympathizes to a lot of the relationships that are tarnished by each of the characters. The last few pages had her in tears.

Did you know? The town of Shaker Heights in the novel is writer Celeste Ng’s real life hometown.

Jeff follows up with his outline of 2008 comedy Tropic Thunder directed & starring Ben Stiller. Also staring Jack Black, Nick Note, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Cruise, and Robert Downey Jr, Tropic Thunder is a film within a film depicting fictional actors trying to make a movie. Hilarity ensues when this dark comedy takes a side step, killing off the fictional movie’s director and leaving the team of ego driven buffoons stranded in dangerous territory. Jeff gives us the high’s and lows of the movie, and has a disclaimer about how a lot of the humor in 2008 has not aged well, and may be offensive to some audiences.

Fun Fact! Robert Downey Jr. was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role, but lost in 2008 to Heath Ledger and his portrayal of the Joker.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as hilarity in the uncontrollable, situations going from bad to worse, how to get through, and what’s left at the end.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Tropic Thunder and Little Fires Everywhere compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy!

Heather’s rating for Little Fires Everywhere: Super Nice – A great story that inspires the reader to reflect & appreciate what they have

Jeff’s rating for Tropic Thunder: Nice – A funny movie but not for every audience.

Watch Tropic Thunder here: https://www.amazon.com/Tropic-Thunder-Ben-Stiller/dp/B001H5X7I4

Read Little Fires Everywhere here: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Fires-Everywhere-Celeste-Ng/dp/0735224293

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Ep 15: New Year, New Me - Seconds & The Princess and the Frog

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 6 Jan 2021 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff break down New Year, New Me stories. Now that we’re officially in 2021, it’s time to look at some people who reinvent themselves or go through some sort of big change in their lives.

Jeff highlights the 2014 Bryan Lee O’Malley graphic novel Seconds. This story covers alternate realities and a type of time travel which allows our main character Katie the opportunity to go back and fix past mistakes, but at a great cost. Jeff walks us through the story and elaborates on how funny the artwork itself is, a testament to the talent of writer/illustrator O’Malley.

Did you know? Seconds was a NY Times best seller & named one of the best books of 2014 by USA Today.

Heather follows up with her summary of Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. Taking place in early 20th century New Orleans, our main characters Tiana & Naveen are transformed into frogs & must work together to break the curse. Heather breaks down how these characters grow so much that by the time they are restored back to normal, the “New Me” also correlates to their new outlook on life and lessons learned.

Fun Fact! Princess and the Frog is the first Disney movie since Beauty and the Beast where all of the actors perform both the speaking parts AND singing parts.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as old vs new, transformation, attaining goals, moving forward, and staying on track.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Seconds & The Princess and the Frog compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy!

Seconds: Super Nice – A timeless story and a home run for Disney. A classic that will be celebrated forever.
Jeff’s High Fidelity: Super Nice – A great story, beautifully drawn, and a must read for comic fans and young adult readers.

Watch The Princess and the Frog here: www.disney.com

Read High Fidelity: https://www.amazon.com/Seconds-Graphic-Bryan-Lee-OMalley/dp/0345529375

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Ep 14: Reflection - Wonder Woman 1984 & High Fidelity

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 23:15:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff celebrate Reflection! With 2020 finally over, its time to look towards the future. Jeff and Heather share two stories where taking a look back can help you thrive moving forward.

Heather starts the summary section off with her coverage of Wonder Woman 1984 (WW84), the newest super hero movie by director Patty Jenkins. WW84 picks up decades after the original, which was set during World War 1. Heather discusses the life lesson Diana must learn from the scenes of her as a young child in the beginning – “No true hero is born from lies”.

Did you know? Gal Gadot was pregnant for the majority of the filming of this movie.

Jeff follows up with his first official novel submission; Nick Hornby’s 1995 classic High Fidelity. Dealing with main character Rob Flemming’s most agonizing break ups, High Fidelity mixes humor with sophistication and a dab of toxic self-sabotage. Jeff explains how Rob’s journey into his past help him heal in the present, and how fixing your flaws can help you move forward into the future with a new outlook.

Fun Fact! John Cusack, who plays Rob in the 2001 film adaptation was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as self reflection, mistakes/lessons learned, choices, growth, and goal setting. They also discuss times in their lives where a good period of reflection has enriched their own lives.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Wonder Woman 1984 &High Fidelity compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy!

Heather’s Rating of Wonder Woman 1984: Nice – Gal Gadot steals the show and is a great role model for women and men alike. May be confusing for non-comic book fans and the film runs a little long.

Jeff’s High Fidelity: Very Nice – Some of the characters do not age well, but the writing is very insightful and unique to this writer. If nothing else, it’ll make you want to pick up some vinyl records.

Watch Wonder Woman 1984 here: www.hbomax.com

Read High Fidelity:

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Ep 13: Christmas - Let It Snow & Christmas In Evergreen: Tidings of Joy

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff celebrate Christmas! Trees, snow, and the spirit of the season are the focal point of this episode. Covering a movie and novel, Jeff and Heather dissect the traditions and themes of what makes a good Christmas story.

Heather starts the summary section off with her coverage of Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy, a novelization of a Hallmark original movie. Heather points out the cheesy cliché plot of the story, but who doesn’t love a traditional Christmas love story? Heather felt uplifted by the story and enjoyed reading this book, even finishing it in 1 single day.

Did you know? Terpenes play a big role in the accumulation of Christmas snow. Heather gives us a great science lesson on the subject in her summary!

Jeff follows up with an outline of Netflix original movie Let It Snow, starring Kiernan Shipka, Joan Cusack, Shameik Moore, and Jacob Batalon. This story is loaded with sub plots revolving around a snow covered town, teenagers falling in love, and a very popular waffle restaurant. Jeff runs down the three main love stories as well as the fates of the side characters, and relates the story to another holiday classic Love, Actually.

Fun Fact! Shameik Moore and Jacob Batalan are both in separate Spider-Man movies! Moore plays the voice of Miles Morales in Into The Spider-Verse, and Batalon has a reoccurring part as Ned, best friend of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as love, snow, positivity, togetherness, tradition, and the magic of Christmas. Jeff and Heather go over new traditions they’ve made and reflect on traditions they will always cherish from their Christmases past.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Let It Snow andChristmas In Evergreen: Tidings of Joy compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate the two. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy and is looking for some holiday spirit!

Heather’s Rating of Christmas In Evergreen: Tidings of Joy: Nice – Great for the holiday spirit!

Jeff’s Rating of Jingle All The Way: Very Nice – A movie that makes a town you want to be in, and a group of people you’d want to be friends with. A really fun coming of age story.

Watch Let It Snow here: www.netflix.com

Read Christmas In Evergreen: Tidings of Joy: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-in-evergreen-nancy-naigle/1137534286

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Ep 12: Giving - Jingle All The Way & Gift Of The Magi

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff spread some holiday cheer when they breakdown the act of Giving. Presents are a big part of the holiday season, but there is so much more that goes in to getting it right. The duo goes in depth with candid thoughts and opinions on the current on what makes a great gift and how to appreciate everything you have.

In a break from the norm, Heather reads the story The Gift of the Magi in its entirety to start. Though this story is short, Heather explains how much thoughtfulness goes into the story of the two main characters Jim and Della.

Did you know? The Gift of the Magi was allegedly written at Pete’s Tavern on Irving Place in New York City.

Jeff follows up with a quick summary of the 1996 film Jingle All The Way starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. In this story, Jeff explains that sometimes a person’s time and attention is a much more meaningful gift than material items. Jeff recalls seeing this film in theaters as a kid, and relates the movie’s fictional impossible-to-find-toy “Turboman” to the Power Ranger and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crazy of the 80’s & 90’s

Fun Fact! The Turboman toy was made for retail following the release of this movie. A sealed figure can fetch up to $600 on eBay as of the publishing of this episode!

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as love, thoughtfulness, generosity, giving and receiveing, and what great gifts they’ve received in their lives.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how The Gift of the Magi, and Jingle All The Way compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each with some interesting facts and opinions about Giving. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy and is looking for some holiday spirit!

Heather’s Rating of The Gift Of The Magi: Very Nice – A great story for the ages that tells the tale of true love through actions.

Jeff’s Rating of Jingle All The Way: Nice – A fun 90’s movie that is good to watch for the season, but not the standout Christmas comedy movie that Home Alone or National Lampoons Vacation are.

Watch Jingle All The Way here: https://www.amazon.com/Jingle-All-Way-Arnold-Schwarzenegger/dp/B000SW4DQM

Read The Gift of the Magi: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/GifMag.shtml

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Ep 11: Human Rights - On The Basis of Sex & Uncanny X-Men Days of Future Past Issues #141 & #142

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 9 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff honor Human Rights day in America. Shining a light on issues centuries old, the duo goes in depth with candid thoughts and opinions on the current climate and where everyone can improve.

Jeff covers the time honored classic comic book story Days of Future Past from The Uncanny X-Men issues #141 and #142. The realm of Marvel’s mutants have always drawn parallels to the civil rights movement, with Professor X and Magneto being heavily influenced by Malcom X and Dr. Martin Luther King. Jeff points out the lack of human rights in both the 1980’s setting as well as the 2013 portion of this story, with the heroes being stripped of their rights in both stories based on who they were born as.

Did you know? Although the story takes place in a post apocalyptic year 2013, the actual movie adaptation of Days of Future Past was released in 2014.

Heather presents her movie second, covering the Ruth Bader Ginsberg biopic On The Basis of Sex. Heather tells us about her wonder and discovery about the late US supreme court justice, as this movie covers a pivotal potion of Ginsberg’s life from the 1950’s to 1970’s. Paving the way for gender equality and changing the course of history for the better, Heather highlights portion of Ruth’s life and the shockwaves that are still being felt to this day.

Fun Fact! Ruth Bader Ginsberg founded the Women’s Right Project within the ACLU- laying the groundwork for women’s right advocacy in America.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as equality, protecting human rights, respect/protect/fulfill, and radical social change.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how X-Men: Days of Future Past, and On The Basis of Sex compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each with some interesting facts and opinions about Human Rights. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy!

Heather’s Rating of On the Basis of Sex: Super Nice – An extremely informative and inspirational story of an exceptional supreme court justice

Jeff’s X-Men: Days of Future Past: Super Nice – An amazing and revolutionary story for its time, paving the way for countless time travel stories and also a stand out gem in an already iconic run from writer Chris Clairmount.

Watch On The Basis of Sex: https://www.amazon.com/Basis-Sex-Felicity-Jones/dp/B07M5HLCKH

Read Uncanny X-Men issues #141 & #142 here: www.marvel.com

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Ep 10: Heather's Favorites - A Walk To Remember & This Lullaby

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 2 Dec 2020 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff run down two of Heather’s favorite works. To commemorate Heather’s big 30th birthday, she took the liberty of picking what Jeff will cover. This episode doubles as Heather’s guilty pleasures, as these stories are connected by 1 thing: Heather likes them a lot!

Jeff covers the 2002 drama A Walk To Remember staring Mandy Moore and Shane West. Going through the triumphs and heart brakes of characters Landon & Jamie, Jeff gives his opinions on the cringey early 2000’s music and some of the best scenes.

Did you know? Mandy Moore also appeared in the movie How To Deal, a novel by Heather’s writer Sarah Dessen who wrote This Lullaby

Heather follows up with her summary of This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. Another early 2000’s romp, This Lullaby follows the adolescence of main character Remy, who is being courted by the hyperactive Dexter, all while managing her responsibility avoiding mother. Heather notes that even though Remy is juggling a lot, she is able to find out the important things in life and come around to people she may have written off.

Fun Fact! Sarah Dessen won the Margaret A. Edwards award for Significant and Lasting Contribution to Young Adult Literature in 2017.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as personal growth, true love, and building positive relationships.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how This Lullaby, Trains, and A Walk To Remember compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each with some interesting facts and opinions about Heather’s Favorites/Guilty Pleasures. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy it and let us know what some of your favorite guilty pleasures are!

Heather’s Rating of This Lullaby: Super Nice – A must-read. A phenomenal story that hits every emotion.

Jeff’s Rating of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Nice – A fun 2000’s movie & good date night flick. Some characters are insanely stereotypical and dated though, keep an open mind.

Watch A Walk to Remember Here: https://www.netflix.com

Pick up This Lullaby here: https://sarahdessen.com/book/this-lullaby/

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Ep 9: Gratitude - Tuesdays With Morrie & Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff examine the practice of Gratitude. This time of year, families usually get together with one another and appreciate time together. The stories presented in this episode cover personal growth, acceptance of others, and learning to be grateful for the people and places along the way, even if times are tough.

Heather gives a review of Tuesdays with Morrie, a memoir written by Mitch Albom documenting the last 14 meetings between the author and his previous college professor Morrie (who has been diagnosed with ALS). Heather provides the main topics discussed between the two characters and reminisces about teachers past in her own life that have drawn similarities to the ever-wise Morrie.

Did you know? The made for television movie of Tuesdays with Morrie won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie in 2000

Jeff follows up Heather with his summary of 80’s John Hughes classic Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Starring John Candy as Del and Steve Martin as Neal, Jeff takes us through the series of unfortunate setback that hinder Neal (Martin) from returning home in Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with his family. Jeff explains how, despite the universe throwing curve balls and Del’s (Candy) constant blunders, Neal learns a valuable lesson in gratitude. At the end of the film Neal has grown from agitated businessman to a thoughtful friend to Del.

Fun Fact! Planes, Trains, and Automobiles was loosely based off of a real life travel nightmare of writer/director John Hughes.

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into what gratitude means to these characters. Topics discussed include things we take for granted, how a bad attitude can blind you to helpful people, how a positive outlook can change everything, and seeing gratitude in everything can lead to a healthier life. Jeff and Heather also share personal stories of their experiences during the pandemic and what they are grateful for.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Tuesdays With Morrie and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each with some interesting facts and opinions surrounding food. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy it and let us know what some of you're grateful this year!

Heather’s Rating of Tuesdays With Morrie: Very Nice – A must-read. Inspirational story that will make you appreciate the important things in life

Jeff’s Rating of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Very Nice – A timeless 80’s classic that is still funny and touching all these years later.

Watch Planes, Trains, and Automobiles here: https://www.amazon.com/Planes-Trains-Automobiles-Steve-Martin/dp/B002S30PS4

Pick up Eat Pray Love here: https://www.mitchalbom.com/books/tuesdays-with-morrie

As mentioned in our previous episode, please consider donating to these non profits.

Find a local food bank to donate to at FeedingAmerica.org

Donations welcome also at MoveForHunger.org

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Ep 8: Food - Ratatouille & Eat Pray Love

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff highlight stories about Food in honor of the upcoming American Thanksgiving. Prior to the first segment, Heather provides contacts for those struggling with eating disorders. Information listed at the end of these notes.

Jeff offers a short review of this Pixar classic, as we glance into the life of rat, Remy, who loves to cook. Jeff summarizes the plot & key moments that highlight the joy of cooking, the need to be fearless, and that cooking is an artistic experience. In the film, Remy (the rat) teaches Alfredo Linguini how to become a better cook in classic Disney fashion, but finds himself and his personal meaning along the way. As explained by Jeff, we see Remy teach others to respect cooking and truly appreciate food.

Did you know? The head chef of Gusteau’s – Skinner- is named after psychologist B.F. Skinner, who was famous for performing studies using rats.

Following Jeff’s review (as decided by a weekly game of rock, paper, scissor), Heather presents the “Eat” passages of Eat, Pray, Love. Heather profiles main character (closely based off of real-life author of the work) named Elizabeth. Heather offers explains her initial dislike of Elizabeth, and her reasons for taking a sabbatical to Italy to to get back into the simple pleasures of life. Through the healing spirituality of food and cooking, Heather warms up to Elizabeth, who starts to heal herself from the horrible relationships she left behind in the United States.

Fun Fact! Julia Roberts plays main character Elizabeth in the movie, Eat, Pray Love!

Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff give their in depth opinions on the impact and stigma of food in their lives. As explained, food is something that everybody experiences differently and should be respected when considering other’s feelings, choices, and medical requirements.

Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Ratatouille and Eat, Pray, Love compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each with some interesting facts and opinions surrounding food. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy it and let us know what some of your favorite food dishes are!

Heather’s Rating of Eat, Pray, Love: Half Trash/Half Nice– The main character Elizabeth may be off putting to some, but there’s a great message in the story.

Jeff’s Rating of Ratatouille: Super Nice – One of the jewel’s of the Pixar catalogue.

Watch Ratatouille here www.disneyplus.com

Pick up Eat Pray Love here: https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Pray-Love-Everything-Indonesia/dp/0143038419

Find a local food bank to donate to at FeedingAmerica.org

Donations welcome also at MoveForHunger.org

References mentioned include – Whitehouse.gov, RTS.com

We encourage anyone struggling with their relationship with food to seek help, either through a local therapist, online therapy, or by contacting the National Eating Disorder Association. (800) 931-2237.

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Ep 7: Heroes and Villains - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone & Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff highlight Heroes & Villains in two classic pieces of work. Beginning with light banter, Heather presents Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Heather offers a summary of the work, going over the poor treatment of main character Harry Potter by teachers, adoptive parents, and school bullies. Heroes Harry, Ron, and Hermione overcome great odds and defeat evil they have been destined to combat. Heather offers her candid thoughts on writer J.K. Rowling’s recent fall from grace in the public eye, and a hopeful look at how to enjoy the Harry Potter series while holding Rowling accountable for hate-speech.

Did you know? In England, the original title is Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone. Rumor has it that the word “Philosopher” would be too bland for American children and the switch was made to “Sorcerer”.

In the second presentation, Jeff summarizes the globally celebrated classic Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Explained in colorful detail, Jeff pulls iconic quotes from Jedi master Yoda, relating how heroism isn’t defined by violence or impulsiveness. Rather, a true hero draws his power from peace. Jeff gives light production notes from the filming

Fun Fact! During the filming of the “I am your father” scene, Darth Vader actor David Prowse delivered the line “Obi-Wan killed your father”. The line was changed in post production to keep the secret until the film premiered.

Tune in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Star Wars Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy it and let us know who your favorite Heroes and Villains are!

Heather’s Rating of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Super Nice – The book that inspired a generation to read and to be inspired by wonder. A must read for any age

Jeff’s Rating of The Last Of Us: Super Nice – Arguably the best movie in the series and one of the best movies of all time. A cultural phenomenon till this day, and ingrained in history.

Watch Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back here www.disneyplus.com

Pick up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone here: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerer-s-stone-by-j-k-rowling/

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Ep 6: Unlikely Parents - The Last Of Us & Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2.

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 4 Nov 2020 06:00:00 +0000

Parallel Fiction Episode 6 covers Unlikely Parents. Outlined as characters who have to begrudgingly take on a young companion, unlikely parents are usually gruff and tough characters who warm up over time. Heather covers Yondu from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, and Jeff covers their first video game when he presents The Last of Us. After Jeff’s Rock, Paper, Scissors streak continues, Heather’s review comes first, followed by Jeff.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, as told by Heather, is an outer space story about fathers. Pulling from star Chris Pratt’s own personal loss, his character portrayal of Peter Quill is layered in a very real fatherly longing for space pirate Yondu, played by Michael Rooker. Heather gives fun facts about the raccoon actor Oreo, who is the basis of Rocket, as well as a near-tear filled explanation of how real the last interaction of Quill and Yondu moved her.

Did you know? Brother of director James Gunn, actor Sean Gunn plays double duty in this movie as Yondu’s right-hand-man Kraglin and also as the motion capture actor for Rocket.

The first video game feature of Parallel Fiction is presented by Jeff, when he profiles Joel Miller from the 2013 blockbuster game The Last of Us. Actor is Troy Baker brings Joel to life, both with voice acting and actual motion capture, to tell the story of a hardened man in a post apocalyptic world. After losing his own daughter 20 years prior to this story, Joel is tasked with looking after a young girl named Ellie who closely resembles his lost life. Jeff explains how Joel’s obsession with filling his emotional void as well as never coping with his loss leads him to extreme measures later in this story.

Prolific Actor Alert: Troy Baker is the only man in history to play both Batman AND The Joker. Both were voice acting work, but that’s still pretty impressive.

Tune in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how The Last of Us and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy it and let us know your thoughts on who else makes a good unlikely parent in fiction!

Heather’s Rating of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2: Very Nice – This sequel explains a lot more of Peter Quill’s backstory and has a few tear-jerking moments

Jeff’s Rating of The Last Of Us: Super Nice – A can’t miss for anybody who enjoys video games. The definition of masterpiece

Watch Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 on Disney+: www.disneyplus.com

Buy The Last Of Us, exclusive to Playstation 3 & 4 here: https://www.gamestop.com/video-games/playstation-4/games/products/the-last-of-us-remastered/10114511.html?condition=Pre-Owned

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Ep 5: Leadership - Marvel Comics Civil War & Parks and Recreation

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 08:00:00 +0000

On this episode of Parallel Fiction, Jeff and Heather cover good leaders in anticipation of the 2020 presidential election. Heather covers the first television submission of the show when she breaks down Parks and Recreation Season 6 Episodes 1 & 2, followed by Jeff who covers the Marvel Comics event Civil War issues 1-7 original. They give their feelings on what makes a leader, what they rate their pieces, and suggestions on what listeners would enjoy.

Jeff begins the presentation portion of the show highlighting Marvel Comics’ 2006 7 issue event Civil War, which was adapted into the movie Captain America: Civil War in 2016. Written by Mark Millar (Kickass, The Kingsman), Civil Waris the story of how Captain America and Iron Man wound up on two different sides of the law and led their teams against one another. Jeff points out that in this story, nobody has been the leader they were thought to be.

Did you know? Author Mark Millar described his work as “"a story where a guy wrapped in the American flag is in chains as the people swap freedom for security"

Starring Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Chris Pratt, Rob Lowe, Aziz Ansari, and Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation was an Office type documentary sitcom following the lives and adventures of a rag tag team of government employees in the fictional town of Pawnee Indiana. Heather summarizes the plot and sub plot of the two-episode season 7 season debut. Heather focuses on how leaders take on all problems, no matter how small they may seem.

Guest Stars! Parks and Rec is home to many guest stars. In this episode alone, Jenny Slate, Lucy Lawless, Henry Winkler, and Peter Serafinowicz all appear.

Tune in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how Civil War and Parks and Rec compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy it and let us know your thoughts on who your favorite fictional leader is!

Heather’s Rating of Parks and Rec Season 6 Episodes 1-2: Super Nice – The second episode has Heather’s all time Parks and Rec segment

Jeff’s Rating of Marvel Comics Civil War: Trash – The first trash rating of the show, Jeff is critical of inauthentic character dialogue & dated depiction of women.

Watch the entire series Parks and Rec here: https://www.peacocktv.com/freesignup

Read Marvel Comics Civil War here: https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/4216/civil_war_2006_1

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Ep 4: Monsters - Into The Dark: Good Boy & Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000

Hello people! We’re in the home stretch of spooky season 2020 and what a way to wrap up our Halloween themed shows than with Monsters! In this episode, Heather covers the literary classic Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus, followed by Jeff who takes on Hulu original movie Good Boy, staring Judy Greer. Heather and Jeff break down the story of each piece by piece, and then share their analysis. They follow up their presentations with a conversation on “what makes a monster?”.

Written in the early 1800’s by Mary Shelley, Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus is a gothic horror story which inspired centuries of macabre work. A truly chilling novel, Frankenstein is much different than the green skinned, flat-top character you’re used to seeing every Halloween season. Heather breaks down how Mary Shelley’s person hardships and grief fuel this story into something both personal and unique.

Did You Know?: The concept of Frankenstein was conceived in 1817 when Mary and her husband spent the summer with Lord Byron.

Good Boy is an entry of the Into The Dark series under the Blumhouse banner and exclusive to Hulu. Staring Judy Greer, good boy is about a supernatural emotional support dog named Reuben who kills those who give his owner Maggie (Played by Greer) too much anxiety. This dark comedy is carried by Greer, whose performance is both funny and a departure from what she is normally seen in. Jeff carries us through the plot of the movie & points out the dark comedy that makes this movie an entertaining afternoon watch.

Fun Fact: Chico The Dog, who plays Reuben, is a Dachshund-Terrier mix.

Tune in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each monster movie, how Frankensteinand Good Boy compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy it and let us know your thoughts on these monster movies!

Heather’s Rating of Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus: Super Nice – This book is a must read and a true literary classic

Jeff’s Rating of Into The Dark: Good Boy: Nice

Watch Into The Dark: Good Boy here: https://www.hulu.com

Find Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus here: https://www.amazon.com/Frankenstein-Modern-Prometheus-Oxford-Classics/dp/019953716X

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Ep 3: Cult Classics - The Crow & The Craft

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 12:00:00 +0000

On this episode of Parallel Fiction, Jeff and Heather break down two cult favorites for the Halloween season of 2020. Heather covers the 90s cult classic, The Craft, followed by Jeff who covers the graphic novel, The Crow. They give general synopses of the spooky cult classics, then share their analyses of each, along with recommendations for similar films and books you might enjoy if you like The Craft or The Crow. In case you didn’t know, a cult classic consists of a dedicated, passionate fan base that forms an elaborate subculture.

Directed by Andrew Flemming, The Craft isn’t your traditional scary movie, but it’s a dark, coming of age story of friendship among four young witches, played by Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True. A sequel to The Craft, called The Craft Legacy, is coming out at the end of October, so you’ll definitely want to dive into The Craftbefore watching that. Heather notes the choice of camera techniques and costuming in the film (especially Sarah’s), and then they both share their ideas of what might appear in the sequel. Heather also shares her candid thoughts on men writing from women’s perspectives.

Freaky fact: All the snakes (actually 3,000 of them) and bugs used in the movie were REAL. How creepy is that?!

The Crow, written and illustrated by James O’Barr in the 80s, is a hyper violent and very visually stimulating novel about Eric, who returns from the dead to avenge his and his fiancée’s murder at the hands of a street gang. The Crow was very emotionally draining for the author to create, as he draws from a personal tragedy regarding the loss of his fiancé, which can be seen in the book’s illustrations. Jeff notes the witty style of dialogue, conflict, pacing, quotes, and themes that help you process the layers of the story, as well as the dynamic usage of black and white artwork.

Freaky fact: The crow only exists to Eric, no one else in the book can hear the crow.

Tune in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each cult classic, how The Crow and The Craft compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy it and let us know your thoughts on these spooky Halloween favorites!

Heather’s Rating of The Craft: Very Nice

Jeff’s Rating of The Crow: Super Nice – If you’re into hyper violent comic books, this is a must-read!

Watch The Craft here: www.amazon.com/Craft-Robin-Tunney/dp/B000MQ7B0O

Find The Crow here: www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Crow/James-OBarr/9781501176999

Shout out to Noyze Toys at https://www.facebook.com/noyzetoyz

And TSDW Podcast at https://tooscarydidntwatch.com

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Ep 2: Spooky Stories - Coraline & I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (parallel fiction) — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 12:00:00 +0000

Are you afraid of ghosts? Alternate realities? People with buttons for eyes?! Join us on Parallel Fiction, where Jeff and Heather go through two stories that feature spooky elements. Heather covers the beloved graphic novel Coraline, while Jeff will be breaking down the Netflix ghost story I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House. After a casual synopsis of each work, Heather and Jeff share their analyses and recommendations for similar films and books you might enjoy if you like spooky stories. In this episode, spooky was taken as a broad idea of paranormal, supernatural, or scary stories.

Directed by Oz Perkins, I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House is a tense, psychological movie with very high contrast in dark scenes, and sterile brightness in day light. Starring Ruth Wilson, Bob Balaban, Lucy Boynton, and Paulina Prentiss, the scares that come from this ghost story are built on anxiety and fear of the unknown. This is the perfect movie for Halloween season, especially for viewers who aren’t too keen on movies with gore or jump scares.

Fun fact: Director Osgood (Oz) Perkins is the son of Anthony Perkins, the original actor who portrayed Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho 1960

Coraline, written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by P. Craig Russell, is a young adult graphic novel following the life of young teenager Coraline. The titular character is faced with being held hostage in an alternate reality by the “Other Mother” for all eternity, unless she can release the souls of her family and of ghost children stuck in the Other World. Heather notes the award winning achievements of this story, even learning about it first in college where it was part of a young adult fiction course.

Did you know? The name Coraline was a typo from writer Neil Gaiman. He liked the sound so much he kept it in the book, replacing the intended name Caroline.

Tune in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each spooky story, how I Am The Pretty Thing Who Lives In The House and Coraline compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy it and let us know your thoughts on these spooky favorites!

Rating System Breakdown-

Trash – The worst, can’t recommend

Nice – Pretty good, but not mandatory knowledge

Very Nice – Exceptional work, go out of your way to check it out

Super Nice – Untouchable, if you haven’t experienced this work, go do it now!

Heather’s Rating Coraline: Very Nice – Must read for all, whether comic book lover or young adult fiction fan.

Jeff’s Rating of I Am The Pretty Thing Who Lives In The House: Very Nice

Watch I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House here: https://www.netflix.com/title/80094648

Find Coraline here: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/coraline-graphic-novel-neil-gaiman?variant=32123303788578

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Ep 1: New Beginnings - Karate Kid & The Starless Sea

parallelfictionpod@gmail.com (Parallel Fiction) — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 19:22:37 +0000

Welcome to the first episode of Parallel Fiction. Jeff and Heather review stories of New Beginnings to commemorate the start of Parallel Fiction. Heather will be talking about fantasy novel The Starless Sea, while Jeff will wax on/wax off the 80’s classic The Karate Kid. They break down the story and theme of these stories and give recommendations of what else you may enjoy.

Written by Erin Morgenstern, the Starless Sea covers the possibility of endless stories and countless new beginnings. Following the character of Zachary, the "rabbit hole" is a sea of honey that carries the characters through a fantasy where anything can happen. Morgenstern’s debut novel Night Circus is also available wherever books are sold. Heather relates the telling of these stories and the notion that nothing is ever lost as long as you keep it in your heart to that of losing a loved one, and holding on to innocence you may outgrow with age.

Fun Fact: Erin Morgenstern is also a painter specializing in acrylic!

Director by John Avildsen, the standard bearer of old school big fight movies such as Rocky, lends his expertise to Robert Mark Kamen’s (Co-creator of the Taken franshise) original screenplay. Jeff takes us through the events that lead spunky New Jersey teen Daniel LaRusso from punching bag to Karate champion. The Karate Kid shows us that new beginnings can be tough, and that the help of friends and family can go a long way to make anywhere feel like home. Overcoming adversary and counting on others bring this story to life. Jeff points out how powerful the montage segments & unexpected break out performance from Pat Morita make this movie a timeless classic.

Did you know? The iconic Karate Kid headband was improvised by Morita, who had the handkerchief in his pocket the day of filming.

Tune in to hear Jeff and Heather’s candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how The Karate Kid and The Starless Sea compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy it and let us know your thoughts on these inspiring New Beginnings!

Heather’s Rating of The Starless Sea: Very Nice

Jeff’s Rating of The Karate Kid: Very Nice

Watch The Karate Kid here: www.amazon.com/Karate-Kid-Ralph-Macchio/dp/B000OLROWC

Find The Starless Sea here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/535366/the-starless-sea-by-erin-morgenstern/

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