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Talking Our Story: The Story Behind a Family of Storytellers

Talking Our Story: The Story Behind a Family of Storytellers

JAJ Minton
Society & Culture

What happens when an entire family decides to build a creative life together? John, Amy, and Jakob Minton run the YouTube channel Talking Story and write the sci-fi/cosmic horror series Strange Eons under the pen name J.A.J. Minton. On Talking Our Story, John and Amy pull back the curtain on what it’s really like to build stories—and a creative life—together. From origin stories and writing struggles to the everyday chaos of recording and publishing from their home studios, this podcast is a candid look at family, storytelling, and the creative process.

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  • 10 - 9: Empire Stories (Sn 1 Finale)

    How do you go from being raised on stories to making them side by side?

     

    In the season one finale of Talking Our Story, John and Amy sit down with their son Jakob to tell the behind-the-scenes story of how the Minton family finally became true creative partners. They trace the road from Jakob’s high school comedy skits to college desk comedy and independent filmmaking to writing a science fiction series—all without losing the warmth (or honesty) that comes from being family. This conversation is about timing, trust, and the moment a family stops telling stories to each other—and starts creating them together.


    Join the Story

    YouTube: “Talking Story: A Fantastical Fiction Channel”: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Talking_Story⁠

    Instagram, Twitter/X, and TikTok: @jajminton

    Website: ⁠https://www.jajminton.com⁠

    Discord: ⁠discord.gg/talkingstory⁠

    Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/TalkingStory⁠

    Strange Eons, Book One: Discovery, in paperback, ebook, and audio: ⁠https://a.co/d/0e1qP6e2⁠

    Music Credit: “New Echota” by Galapaghost via Uppbeat.io

    Tue, 05 May 2026 - 1h 06min
  • 9 - 8: Reinvention Stories

    Closing night isn’t the end—it’s the pivot.

     

    In this episode of Talking Our Story, John and Amy talk about what happens after a lifetime in theatre—when the curtain finally comes down and it’s time to become beginners again. They share how “retirement” from the stage didn’t mean stepping away from art but stepping toward a different creative community with new rhythms, new friends, and new ways to push themselves. From releasing an identity built in rehearsal halls to finding joy in news stores and dorms, their conversation explores reinvention as both loss and liberation—and why the storyteller’s work doesn’t end when one chapter closes.


    Join the Story

    YouTube: “Talking Story: A Fantastical Fiction Channel”: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Talking_Story⁠

    Instagram, Twitter/X, and TikTok: @jajminton

    Website: ⁠https://www.jajminton.com⁠

    Discord: ⁠discord.gg/talkingstory⁠

    Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/TalkingStory⁠

    Strange Eons, Book One: Discovery, in paperback, ebook, and audio: ⁠https://a.co/d/0e1qP6e2⁠

    Music Credit: “New Echota” by Galapaghost via Uppbeat.io

    Tue, 28 Apr 2026 - 49min
  • 8 - 7: Magikal Stories

    Tiny humans. Scary ghosts. Zero chill.

     

    In this episode of Talking Our Story, John and Amy reflect on the intense year they spent working inside a children’s theatre in San Antonio. It was a season of extremes: exhilarating creative highs, exhausting emotional lows, moments of deep joy with fellow artists, and moments that pushed them right to the edge of burnout. They talk candidly about what it’s like to pour everything into a mission-driven artistic space, the beauty of theatre made for and with children, and the quiet warning signs that something sustainable was slipping away. Ultimately, this conversation explores why loving the work isn’t always enough—and how knowing when to walk away can be an act of survival, clarity, and growth.


    Join the Story

    YouTube: “Talking Story: A Fantastical Fiction Channel”: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Talking_Story⁠

    Instagram, Twitter/X, and TikTok: @jajminton

    Website: ⁠https://www.jajminton.com⁠

    Discord: ⁠discord.gg/talkingstory⁠

    Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/TalkingStory⁠

    Strange Eons, Book One: Discovery, in paperback, ebook, and audio: ⁠https://a.co/d/0e1qP6e2⁠

    Music Credit: “New Echota” by Galapaghost via Uppbeat.io

    Tue, 21 Apr 2026 - 1h 00min
  • 7 - 6: High-Water Mark Stories

    Sleep is optional. Art is not.

     

    In this episode of Talking Our Story, John and Amy trade war stories from the theatre seasons when the casts and budgets are getting larger and the time together was getting shorter. They laugh about creative endeavors achieved on zero sleep. Somewhere between tech week and diaper changes, they stumbled into some of their most honest, focused, and surprisingly powerful artistic moments. A funny, frazzled, and very real look at what happens when ambition, parenthood, and sheer stubborn love for storytelling all pile on at once—and somehow, the show still goes on.


    Join the Story

    YouTube: “Talking Story: A Fantastical Fiction Channel”: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Talking_Story⁠

    Instagram, Twitter/X, and TikTok: @jajminton

    Website: ⁠https://www.jajminton.com⁠

    Discord: ⁠discord.gg/talkingstory⁠

    Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/TalkingStory⁠

    Strange Eons, Book One: Discovery, in paperback, ebook, and audio: ⁠https://a.co/d/0e1qP6e2⁠

    Music Credit: “New Echota” by Galapaghost via Uppbeat.io

    Tue, 14 Apr 2026 - 47min
  • 6 - 5: Nation of Three Stories

    When did you realize your family was different?

     

    In this episode of Talking Our Story, John and Amy sit down with their adult son Jakob to unpack what it was really like growing up in a family that didn’t do “normal.”  Jakob shares when he first realized that his upbringing was unconventional, how storytelling was taught as a way of life, and how his parents’ intense work ethic became his artistic inheritance. This conversation explores family dynamics, creative identity, and the long-term impact of an upbringing centered on storytelling and imagination.


    Join the Story

    YouTube: “Talking Story: A Fantastical Fiction Channel”: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Talking_Story⁠

    Instagram, Twitter/X, and TikTok: @jajminton

    Website: ⁠https://www.jajminton.com⁠

    Discord: ⁠discord.gg/talkingstory⁠

    Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/TalkingStory⁠

    Strange Eons, Book One: Discovery, in paperback, ebook, and audio: ⁠https://a.co/d/0e1qP6e2⁠

    Music Credit: “New Echota” by Galapaghost via Uppbeat.io

    Tue, 07 Apr 2026 - 51min
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