Dragons everywhere!Dragons everywhere!
J Hirtle The Last Storyteller
Poet-host Jim Hirtle speaks with fantasy creator Matthew Corrado about his Diamond Dragons saga, covering its origins, structure, illustrations and strong stance on human-made art. The conversation highlights how character, continuity and passion drive a multi-book series in a genre filled with dragons and mysticism.
1:08:11•15 Jul 2026
Dragons, Sagas and True Art: Matthew Corrado on Diamond Dragons
Episode Overview
- Each Diamond Dragons book is designed to stand as a complete story while still contributing to a larger saga.
- Matthew treats characters’ voices, archetypes and relationships as the real engine that keeps readers invested beyond plot and scenery.
- Continuity in fantasy series matters deeply to him, from geography and timeframes to the internal rules of magic and travel.
- Hundreds of hand-crafted illustrations and carefully planned lighting and colour are used to complement, not replace, the prose.
- Matthew rejects AI-generated art for his work, preferring real collaboration and fair payment for human artists and composers.
“"Before I start, I must see my end. Like before I begin something, I should see the destination."”
What drives someone to spend years building a vast fantasy saga filled with dragons, mysticism and hundreds of illustrations? This chat between poet-host Jim Hirtle and creator Matthew Corrado gives you a front-row seat to that kind of obsessive, joyful dedication. You’ll hear how Matthew’s childhood passion for acting, sword fights and big, cinematic moments evolved into Diamond Dragons, a multi-book fantasy series that started life as a screenplay.
He talks through the sheer scale of the project: six volumes, roughly half a million words so far, and nearly 500 hand-crafted illustrations woven into the prose. A big chunk of the conversation focuses on craft. Matthew explains why each book must stand on its own, how he keeps continuity tight across a long-running saga, and why characters’ voices and archetypes matter as much as plot.
There’s plenty of geeky fun too, with references to Star Wars, The Matrix, Game of Thrones, Dungeons & Dragons and classic films to show how those influences shaped his storytelling. For readers who love richly built worlds, the episode digs into invented languages, a non-human narrator and the difference between "good guy" dragons and bone-and-ghost dragon villains.
Matthew gives an inside look at his illustration process, from collaborating with artists to handling colour and lighting himself so every image fits the story’s mood. The pair also touch on indie realities: doing everything from writing to editing to formatting, feeling wary of AI-generated art, and learning from honest criticism instead of dodging it. Matthew’s passion for story, craft and fair value for human creatives comes through strongly.
If you enjoy fantasy, care about the art behind storytelling, or just like hearing someone utterly in love with their own dragons, this conversation might be just the motivation you need to pick up a new saga—or get back to your own writing. What kind of worlds are you ready to build or step into next?
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