The Geek Saga Podcast: Episode 76 – Thirst of the First Men Pre-Ice & Fire Con 2023

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Episode 76 of The Geek Saga Podcast originally aired as a live webcast, “The Thirst of the First Men: A Pre-Ice & Fire Con 2023” on April 15, 2023.

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Join myself and three friends who have been attending Ice & Fire Con since the very beginning (in 2013) as we talk all things IAFC…and have…well…a lot of drinks!

Geek Saga Podcast Episode 76 – Thirst of the First Men: Pre-Ice & Fire Con 2023

Click below to watch in webcast form!

ice and fire con 2023 webcast

Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast: Episode 58 – ASOIAF/House of the Dragon Fan Panel at SDCC 2022

tara lynne's geek saga podcast

Episode 58 of Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast features live audio from the A Song of Ice and Fire/House of the Dragon Fan Panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.

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Moderated by Amin from A Podcast of Ice & Fire and featuring myself and Aziz & Ashaya from History of Westeros, this is an in-depth discussion of the latest House of the Dragon news featuring some deep ASOIAF dives and even a couple of GoT, err, mentions 😉

Geek Saga Podcast Episode 58: ASOIAF & House of the Dragon at SDCC 2022
Panelists having a chuckle at the ASOIAF/House of the Dragon/Game of Thrones Fan Panel at SDCC 2022

Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast: Episode 55 – Ice & Fire Con 2022 Game of Thrones Nailed It or Failed It Panel

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Episode 55 of Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast includes live audio from the Ice & Fire Con 2022 “Game of Thrones: Nailed It or Failed It” panel.

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PLEASE NOTE: Panelists were required to ‘social distance’ more than usual, while audience members were required to wear masks throughout this panel. This does make certain portions of the recording a bit difficult to hear, and I apologize for this [albeit very necessary] “inconvenience”.

This panel focused on a set of characters (voted onto the list by the IAFC Patreon supporters 🙂 ! ) and whether or not HBO’s Game of Thrones did a good job portraying these characters and their story lines as we know them from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Panelists: Myself, Zach & Hannah from Game of Owns, Lady Gwyn from Radio Westeros, Sean of House Beard from History of Westeros

GEEK SAGA PODCAST EPISODE 55 – GAME OF THRONES NAILED IT OR FAILED IT PANEL AT ICE & FIRE CON 2022

A Note to My Ice & Fire Con Fam, Post IAFC 2022

I’m going to be a bit cliche here, I know, but can you believe that when we gathered at IAFC 2022, it had been nearly three whole years since we were all together? I’ll be honest, it both seemed like yesterday and like a lifetime ago.

auto thots roll out iafc 2022
AUTO THOTS ROLL OUT

I know we all changed in some way or another in these past years – how could we not? I certainly did, but one thing that remained the same for me is the wild combination of stress and excitement and anxiety and love that I experience surrounding each and every Ice & Fire Con (yes, even the virtual ones)…and, of course, the immense amount of gratitude that I feel for our extremely supportive and understanding “fam”.

iafc 2022 small council
Dubbing Lydia the newest Small Council Member

This year was both different, and yet the same. When we all met up again, it was as if no time had passed…and yet SO MUCH TIME had. We kept saying “last year” about our last in-person event, when of course it was three years ago. But seeing you all again, it was like two of those years didn’t exist. Granted, some of us have had a lot of virtual hangouts, but really, no matter how much time had passed, no matter how much we have changed…the fam is…well, I have to say it: UNBOWED, UNBENT, UNBROKEN.

I missed the ones who couldn’t make it. Special shout-outs to Dan and Nancy and Pasha & Benita! I hope to see y’all next year, because truly, the tourney ESPECIALLY wasn’t the same without you. And also a personal special shout-out to Rachel & Josh 😉

Pat and Mallory aka Sanrixian GETTING ENGAGED <3 <3 <3

But wow, did we make some amazing new memories this year. First, ANOTHER IAFC ENGAGEMENT! Congrats to Pat and Mallory, who knew each other online prior to IAFC, met in person for the first time at the convention, bonded at Small Council member/ASOIAF podcaster Chloe’s wedding to fellow ASOIAF podcaster Emmett, and got engaged at our tourney this year! I will never, ever cease to be amazed by the relationships this event has fostered – this is “only” our second at-con engagement (shout out to Ashley and Keith for the one that made me sob for days in 2017, as they met at the first ever IAFC), but I’ve lost count of the number of relationships that have been fostered after people met at this convention. It’s certainly not the most important thing about this event, and of course I personally can’t take credit for them, but I love that – as one Twitteros user said – “Ice & Fire Con is for Lovers”!

Meanwhile, despite the tech issues (hello, main room projector breaking sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning), and, to be honest, needing way more volunteers than we had, this year was amazing. Mostly because of the people who did step up and help out – for Small Council, Lydia and Elena; for volunteers, Jason, Matt F, Kevin, Shelby, Ray, and Chelsea; for non-volunteers, James and Frank B. Then there’s my transport helpers, Bekah & Ren – I mean, who would have had the worst traffic stop, had it happened? Them with the Skelly head, torso, feet, and arms, or me with the Skelly leg bones and tourney swords and stick horses?

LOOK AT ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE <3 <3 <3

And then there’s Obie. A fan who bought a ticket, then offered to help us with recording panels and taking photos, and just went so above and beyond that I can never thank him enough.

RANDOM ASIDE: Special shoutout to Steve Cantu’s amazing and lifesaving empanadas, and Toemas Pappas’ awesome homemade hot sauce. HOW DO WE DESERVE YOU ALL?!

iafc 2022 empenadas
Meme-worthy pic of me w/empanadas & White Claws cuz I gotta call myself out sometimes

Honorable mention: David T for his homemade pretzels. They absolutely saved my life one day of the con when I didn’t have time to eat an actual meal, and they were DELICIOUS!

When it comes to programming – we couldn’t do what we do without the people who provide it. Ashley from APOIAF deserves ALL THE ACCOLADES for the revamped Maester chains and the Medieval Fest. And of course there’s our fandom faves who host so many panels: Davos’ Fingers, Game of Owns, History of Westeros, and Radio Westeros. The support of these uber-popular podcasters has been a huge part of sustaining us all these years, and I can never thank you guys enough (and, to be honest, am kinda star-struck that I get to call you guys friends 😉 )! Not to mention Chloe (IAFC Small Council + Girls Gone Canon podcaster), Emmett (Not-a-Cast), and all of the other amazing people who hosted panels this year. (Special shoutout to the attendee-voted fave panel Gays of Thrones peeps: Elena, Lo, Sam, and Rohanne)

queens musical iafc 2022

As for this year’s musical…wow, you guys. People have been working on this since late 2019. Auditions, recordings, rehearsals, re-writes, more rehearsals…I was so hashtag blessed to be part of a cast and crew of people who were so hardcore about everything from beginning to end. I can never thank Dom, Anna, and Chloe D enough for writing such a fucking FUN show…but at times our Queens cast chat group has been such a help – such a lifesaver – that I can never ever thank my fellow Queens – Britt, Lydia, Elle, Kat, and Anna – enough for being the uplifting, amazing, TALENTED people they are. PS the trailer drops like NOW!

And then there was Saturday. The Manimals coming back to IAFC was something I only dreamed of, especially as we have been so short on funds after having to postpone the convention so many times. Their performance was such a huge highlight of the event, and I am so, so incredibly grateful that they are so supportive of our little event.

We also got to have a Guest of Honor this year, which was a first for us and so exciting! Despite the tech issues surrounding his panels (again, looking at you, main room projector), David J. Peterson rallied and was just the best about all of it.

I also had high hopes for the Game of Swag, and HOLY SHIT DID Y’ALL SHOW! UP! I can’t wait for next year and see all of the awesome items people bring, because WOW will it be hard to top this year!

On an even more personal note – this event takes a lot out of me. While the virtual events in 2020 and 2021 were certainly fun in their own way, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, like the energy I gain from being with the fam in person. I already said this once, but it bears repeating:

I can never give enough awards for everything everybody does for this event. I appreciate and love our IAFC fam so much. I’ve been off and on happy crying for DAYS NOW because I honestly don’t know what I did to deserve this, to deserve ALL OF YOU AMAZING PEOPLE in my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you. For being you, for helping out, for loving this convention and in some cases by extension loving me.

I’m only human, and every single one of you makes me a better person.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t give a special shoutout to our patrons and sponsors for their additional contributions. The truth of the matter is, Ice & Fire Con 2023 is happening thanks to YOU.

On that note: My love and appreciation for every single person who made this – the first Ice & Fire Con in, again, THREE YEARS – an absolutely BANGIN event – is beyond anything I have words for. Because the end-all, be-all is that the community as a whole is what really, really makes Ice & Fire Con special. I FUCKIN LOVE YOU, FAM!

PS EXTRA SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO THE 6 OF US (how is it only 6?!) WHO MADE THE 8 THIS YEAR!

Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast: Episode 48 – ASOIAF 25th Anniversary at Dragon Con 2021

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Episode 48 of Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast includes live audio from the Dragon Con High Fantasy track’s “ASOIAF 25th Anniversary” panel at Dragon Con 2021.

GEEK SAGA PODCAST ON SPOTIFY

PLEASE NOTE: All panelists and audience members were required to wear masks throughout this panel. This does make certain portions of the recording a bit difficult to hear, and I apologize for this [albeit very necessary] “inconvenience”.

This panel was an overall discussion about George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series – when and why we first started reading it, how we got hooked, and our favorite (and least favorite) parts and characters in ASOIAF.

Panelists: Myself, Jen L (High Fantasy Track Director), Nami

GEEK SAGA PODCAST EPISODE 48 – ASOIAF 25th ANNIVERSARY AT DRAGON CON 2021

Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast: Episode 47 – Nailed It or Failed It: Jon Snow Panel at Dragon Con 2021

tara lynne's geek saga podcast

Episode 47 of Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast includes live audio from the Dragon Con High Fantasy track’s “Nailed It or Failed It: Jon Snow” panel at Dragon Con 2021.

GEEK SAGA PODCAST ON SPOTIFY

PLEASE NOTE: All panelists and audience members were required to wear masks throughout this panel. This does make certain portions of the recording a bit difficult to hear, and I apologize for this [albeit very necessary] “inconvenience”.

This panel focused on Jon Snow and whether or not HBO’s Game of Thrones did a good job portraying the character we all know and either love, hate, or are totally bored with from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Panelists: Myself, Matt F, Marcie A

GEEK SAGA PODCAST EPISODE 47 – NAILED IT OR FAILED IT: JON SNOW AT DRAGON CON 2021

Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast: Episode 36 – Nailed It or Failed It? Game of Thrones Character Arcs at Dragon Con 2019

tara lynne's geek saga podcast

Episode 36 of Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast includes live audio from the Dragon Con High Fantasy track’s “Nailed It or Failed It: Game of Thrones Character Arcs” panel at Dragon Con 2019.

GEEK SAGA PODCAST ON SPOTIFY

I was super excited about this panel and only regret that it was scheduled for Monday morning of Dragon Con (of all times) because it being the last day of the convention, many of us (namely me, ha!) weren’t at the top of our game. Still, it was fun to get some audience involvement on whether the show nailed it or failed it when portraying the ASOIAF characters we love, hate, or love to hate. Stay tuned for the Ice & Fire Con 2020 version of this one, that’s for sure!

Panelists: Myself, Andrew, Brian E, Van Allen Plexico

GEEK SAGA PODCAST EPISODE 36 – NAILED IT OR FAILED IT: GAME OF THRONES CHARACTER ARCS

Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast: Episode 33 – Game of Thrones Final Season at Dragon Con 2019

tara lynne's geek saga podcast

Episode 33 of Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast includes live audio from the Dragon Con High Fantasy track’s “Game of Thrones: The Final Season” panel from Dragon Con 2019.

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Ten years. Eight seasons. Several weddings. Near countless deaths. And hey, that ending was…something. Here are our thoughts – the good and the bad.

Panelists: Myself, Andrew d’Adesky, Chloe K, Van Allen Plexico

Geek Saga Podcast Episode 33 – Game of Thrones: The Final Season
geek saga podcast episode 33

Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast: Episode 32 – Heroic Journeys in Game of Thrones at Dragon Con 2019

tara lynne's geek saga podcast

Episode 32 of Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast includes live audio from the Dragon Con High Fantasy track’s “Heroic Journeys in Game of Thrones” panel at Dragon Con 2019.

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Each year the High Fantasy track chooses an overall theme, and this year was “The Hero’s Journey”. This panel focused on how GRRM uses the traditional Heroes Journey to subvert reader expectations.

Panelists: Myself, Andrew d’Adesky, Chloe K, Trae Cooper

Geek Saga Podcast Episode 32 – Heroic Journeys in Game of Thrones

Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast: Episode 29 – Loony Game of Thrones Theories at Dragon Con 2019

tara lynne's geek saga podcast

Episode 29 of Tara Lynne’s A Geek Saga Podcast includes live audio from the Dragon Con High Fantasy track’s “Looney ASOIAF/Game of Thrones Theories” panel from Dragon Con 2019.

GEEK SAGA PODCAST ON SPOTIFY

We gathered a couple new Loony Theories crew members for another year of crazy and ridiculous Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones theories!

Panelists: Myself, Andrew d’Adesky, Ashley, Aziz, Brian E, Jennifer Liang

Geek Saga Podcast Episode 29 – Looney ASOIAF/Game of Thrones Theories