Episode 18: The Malkieri Talks
Anas and Grace have a long overdue chat with one of the busiest and most generous creators in the fandom, Rob from Malkier Talks. From his early days as "Malkieri Rob," to his invitation to the London premiere of The Wheel of Time on Prime, to his founding of the UK-based MalkieriCon, Rob shares his behind the scenes process and what inspires him to get up in the middle of the night for WoT fandom.
Episode 17: Lego Talk with Kevin
Anas and Grace get to know infamous Wheel of Time fan Kevin Angus while testing out the concept of "Lego Talk"—a phenomenon noticed by Kevin and used on his podcast, in which conversations flow more organically and openly while participants play with Legos.
Episode 16: Obsessed
Is WoT Fandom a Cult?
Where do you draw the line between fandom and fanaticism? Are fan gatherings any different from the ecstatic rituals of religious zealots? And how do you explain yourself to loved ones who think you've gone overboard? Anas and Grace explore the answers to these questions and reflect on whether WoT fandom has anything in common with the dark and dangerous world of cults.
CW: This episode contains discussion of cults, including a list of the qualities of a cult and description of cult activities, including and mass suicide. Also a brief discussion of violent riots during sports games and concerts.
Episode 15: Hearts of Gold
WoT Fandom Romance
In this special Valentine's Day edition of TLW, Anas and Grace talk with WoT couple Jessica Sedai and Daniel (Random Nomen) about their relationship and what it's like to date someone in the fandom.
Episode 14: Unraveling The Lauren
After countless times mentioning Lauren from Unraveling the Pattern as an example of The Light's Work in the Wheel of Time fandom, Anas and Grace finally get to chat with him. From his early days at book signings to celebrating 3 years on YouTube, Lauren opens up about his love for the fandom and the fears and flaws behind his creative process.
Episode 13: Fancasting
WoT Fans as WoT Characters
Anas and Grace host a livestream recording to celebrate Anas's new job and share their fancasting choices for WoT fans who volunteered to be cast as characters in The Wheel of Time.
This episode contains FULL BOOK SERIES SPOILERS.
Episode 12: Reunion
Catching Up and Sharing Stories
After a long hiatus, Anas and Grace have a chill night of catching up about their international travel adventures over the holidays, the A Memory of Light 10th anniversary, and more. Plus, a few updates on previous episodes and teasers for future projects!
Episode 11: Just Ask
Kritter XD, Social Media, and Getting What You Want
Anas and Grace chat with Kritter XD (aka Egwene al'Vere on Twitter of Time) about WoT fandom across social media platforms, why Discord is the best, and why it's important to push through your fears and ask for what you want.
Episode 10: The Embrace
Fandom as a Place of Safety
Anas and Grace talk to their Very Good Friend Sharnise about JordanCon hugs, bookclubs, representation in the Wheel of Time TV series, and inclusivity within The Wheel of Time fandom.
Episode 9: The Bard
Celebrating Fandom Friendships
Anas and Grace chat with Vance, the Bard of the Red Hand, about his "romantic" Wheel of Time origin story, the challenges of content creation, and why food is love when it comes to making friends in the fandom.
This episode contains a brief FULL BOOK SERIES SPOILER at (22:38-24:50)
Episode 8: Surprisology
Why We Love Secrets & Surprises
One of the core tenets of The Light's Work is surprising people with seemingly random acts of kindness. This is something Anas and Grace absolutely love doing and in this episode they discuss why this is so important to them.
This episode contains FULL BOOK SERIES SPOILERS at (43:50-45:35) and (1:050:00-1:06:25)
Episode 7: Faith In Rafe
Fandom and Show Interaction
This episode contains a SPOILER from The Gathering Storm (27:15-27:20)
Anas and Grace examine the unique relationship between the Wheel of Time fandom and the Amazon Prime TV show production, in particular Showrunner Rafe Judkins. As they review tweets leading up to Season 1 from Rafe and the official Wheel of Time account aka “Tweeter of Chaos,” they discuss how the show’s direct contact with fans is all about trust and then speculate as to how fans may influence the production itself.
Episode 6: The Sleuth
Why Do We Like to Investigate?
Anas and Grace sat down with Sara from WoT Series on their recent trip to Charleston, SC for OgierCon 2022. As an integral part of the WoT Series crew (with three other awesome people), Sara provided an inside look at the amazing work WoT Series does in investigating and breaking show news and how that brings so much joy and happiness to the Fandom.
Episode 5: The Innkeeper
The Importance of the Dusty Wheel
Anas and Grace sit down with Matt Hatch, The Innkeeper at The Dusty Wheel, for an interview discussing the incredible journey Matt has been on within the Wheel of Time fandom. As Matt recalled starting his journey in a library, making Theoryland.com, doing beta-reads for Towers of Midnight and now hosting a successful YouTube livestream, little did he know that later in the interview he would be pleading "Can you just ask me about Lanfear?!"
Episode 4: Much Ji
Why is Everyone So Awesome?
Anas and Grace discuss the question of why and how is everyone in the Wheel of Time Fandom so awesome. As always, they made lists, and Grace put on her academic hat as they dissected this question—a question they were excited about exploring because it was one of the first topics of interest they identified when they decided to start the podcast.
Episode 3: The Gleeman
How the Fandom Brings Us Joy
Brian The Gleeman joins Anas and Grace as they recount how the Fandom has brought so much joy back into their lives. Meeting at conventions has been one of the most joyous moments this year, and they reflect on their most recent meeting at OgierCon—a gathering of fans in a Black Ajah style mansion in Charleston, SC for the book release event for Origins of The Wheel of Time by Michael Livinsgton, Harriet McDougal and Maria Simons.
Episode 2: Rebirth
How the Fandom Has Changed Our Lives
Anas and Grace dive into all the different ways the Wheel of Time Fandom has changed their lives—overwhelmingly, and in such a positive way. In their reflection, they are surprised at how much of an effect this community has had on them and how grateful they are for all the changes; even for the overabundance of black t-shirts and mugs. Spoilers for Rings of Power Episode 7 (1:09-1:11).
Episode 1: Origins
Intro to the Light’s Work
Join Anas and Grace in this first episode as they discuss the Origins of The Light's Work: A Wheel of Time Fandom Podcast. They talk about their introduction to the online fandom and also their first introduction to the Wheel of Time book series. They explore their own experiences within the fandom and their obsession with creating and amplifying great fandom moments.