Where Imagination Meets Wilderness with Eliot Pepers

A headlamp slicing the dark. A kid who’d rather be grinding levels than hiking switchbacks. A flash of fear on the roadside that turns into something like courage. Eliot Peper joins us to share Ensorcelled, his compact 90-minute novel about a boy named Tim whose attention is split between the glowing pull of video games and the raw, unscripted wonder of the Sierra backcountry.

We dig into why this story works so well in a short form and how a tight arc can carry more voltage than a sprawling series. Eliot talks about writing in first person to capture a mind that hops from action to reflection to speculation, and how the book intentionally blurs that line where imagination colors reality without erasing it. He opens up about the moment that inspired the “rewild your attention” theme: seeing himself through his newborn’s eyes, staring at a small rectangle while the world dazzled right beside it. From there, we trace the trail—parents, friction, friends, and a mysterious light that readers can’t stop talking about.

The outdoors isn’t just scenery here. Eliot draws from real trips to a hidden Sierra lake and a life lived near the Pacific, where surfing teaches timing, patience, and commitment. We talk about creativity as a way to love nature more—write a page, sketch a shoreline, record a wave—and why that practice makes the next ride richer. We also widen the lens: genre as a toolbox rather than a box, how to market work that refuses neat labels, and why he thinks writer’s block is a myth for long-form storytellers. Plus, a candid take on AI as both promise and upheaval, closer to the printing press than a passing fad.

If you’re hungry for a fast, moving read that blends fantasy’s wonder with the grit of real trails, you’ll find a lot to love here. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge outdoors, and leave a review to help more listeners discover the show.

Instagram:

@eliotpeper

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Website:

https://eliotpeper.com

Shoutout to :

Eliot Peper

The Peper Family 

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