I Will Go Down With This Ship: Introductions

Hi, everyone! Welcome to our brand-new podcast, I Will Go Down With This Ship. Today, we're kicking things off by introducing ourselves and diving into what this podcast is going to be about. I'm Heather Cardona, and with me is Chelsea Moye. Let's get started!

What is Shipping?

If you're new to the term "shipping," allow us to explain.

Shipping is the act of pairing two people or characters together in a romantic context. These pairings aren't always canon – meaning they aren't confirmed in the actual storyline – which is where the fun really begins. That's called crack shipping, but we'll touch more on that later.

Shippers are those who engage in shipping, and the pairing itself is known as a ship.

Canon Shipping vs. Crack Shipping

So, what's the difference between canon shipping and crack shipping?

Canon ships are relationships that are actually confirmed in the stories. For instance, in "Harry Potter," Harry and Ginny are canon, and so are Ron and Hermione.

Crack ships, on the other hand, are pairings we create out of our imaginations.

For me, I've always shipped Draco and Hermione. No matter what happens, that's my crack ship for life. —Chelsea

Heather loves Snape and Hermione, and she's prepared to die on that hill.

Crack shipping brings a unique joy because the community is all in it together, exploring endless possibilities.

Beyond Ships: Applying Pop Culture to Writing

But we're not just here to chat about our favorite ships. We're both authors, and we want to explore how we can apply pop culture and shipping dynamics to our writing.

Meet the Hosts

Chelsea Moye:

• Writes under multiple pen names like Olivia Marwood for her clean and sweet Regency romances and Lauren Wheeler for steamy cowboy romantic suspense stories, which are her all-consuming passion project.

• Is a developmental editor by day and has a passion for romance, delving deep into seeing how couples come together in stories.

Heather Cardona:

• Also writes under various pen names due to her love for multiple sub-genres within romance, like urban fantasy, historical romance, dark hockey romance, and more.

• Focuses on outlining, plot structure, and character development, particularly how to make romantic arcs believable, whether it's dark romance or insta-love.

• Is a plot consultant, and has an eye for making sure stories hit the right beats.

We both have a keen eye for story structure and character motivation, and we're excited to break down these elements to help both our writing and yours.

Our First Ships: A Walk Down Memory Lane

Chelsea:

• Has been a hardcore Indiana Jones fan all her life, always shipping Indy and Marion Ravenwood (Raiders of the Lost Ark). Marion is the only one who can match Indy on every level, making their pairing perfect in Chelsea's eyes.

Heather:

• On the other hand, shipped Daphne and Shaggy from Scooby-Doo. Specifically, she loved The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo because it focused on those two characters the most.

Current Top Ships

We get it, choosing an OTP (One True Pairing) can be tough, especially when you're part of multiple fandoms. But here's a quick peek into some of our top ships right now:

Chelsea:

1. The Ghoul and Lucy from Fallout – loving the enemies-to-lovers vibe.

2. Penelope and Colin from Bridgerton (Romancing Mr. Bridgerton) – a well-crafted canonical couple.

3. Rip and Beth from Yellowstone – so inspired by them that she loosely based the romantic leads in her current cowboy romantic suspense book on them.

Heather:

1. Damon and Rhaenyra from House of the Dragon.

2. Snape and Hermione from the Harry Potter series.

3. Daryl and Beth from The Walking Dead.

4. Frank Castle and Karen Page from The Punisher.

5. Kakashi and Sakura from Naruto.

There’s just something about unconventional pairings that makes them irresistible, hence our love for crack ships.

"Crack shipping is just the most fun because we all come together, creating imaginative pairings that the original creators may never have envisioned."

The Intersection of Shipping and Writing

Our goal is to take media and dissect it to see how we can apply it to our own writing—especially why we ship certain characters and how to make these unconventional pairings work believably.

Why Chemistry Matters

In visual media, chemistry between actors is crucial, but how do you translate that electrical chemistry onto the page as a writer? We will explore techniques for making character interactions resonate deeply even without visual cues.

One thing we’ll pay particular attention to is character psychology. Understanding characters' inner workings is essential for creating believable relationships. Whether it’s about finding the right mix of contrasts and similarities or simply getting the emotional beats right, these nuances make a big difference.

Upcoming Episodes: What to Expect

We're incredibly excited to launch this podcast, and we have a fantastic lineup for season one. Here's a sneak peek at what you can expect:

Season Focus: The Ghoul and Lucy from Fallout

• We'll be breaking down their chemistry, character growth, and potential romance episode by episode.

• We'll also discuss how their stories set up their potential for romance.

• Along the way, we'll present some "crack theories" that add extra layers of intrigue.

Crack Theory Spotlight

“Both the Ghoul and Lucy are searching for a sense of family. This commonality might be a mirror the writers have intentionally or unintentionally set up.” -Heather

“Fred's orange ascot is reminiscent of Velma's orange, and Daphne's green scarf is reminiscent of Shaggy's green shirt. Could the creators have been secretly shipping Daphne and Shaggy?” -Heather

These mirrored traits in characters are not mere coincidences. Whether it's intentional by the writers or just a happy accident, we'll delve into these angles and how they enrich our understanding of character dynamics.

Final Words

Thank you for joining us on this fantastic journey through ships, characters, and storytelling. We're excited to share our insights, theories, and, most importantly, our love for these incredible pairings.

Have questions or suggestions? Drop them in the comments, and we'll see you in the next episode!

Bye for now!

Feel free to share your favorite ships, theories, and any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes. We're here to make this journey as interactive and engaging as possible!

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