PODCAST

Story Secrets

Fr. Roderick Vonhögen

Fr. Roderick Vonhögen explores the deeper layers of the stories that you love.

religion & spirituality christianity

All Episodes

19:50

The Quill & Candle — Episode 4: The Walk That Wrote a...

Story Secrets ·

2025/07/14

This is the episode where it all comes full circle.Ten months ago, I came to Glendalough in Ireland and had an idea for a fantasy novel. Now, I’ve returned—after two weeks of hiking, dictating, and dreaming through the Irish wilderness—with a finished first draft. In this episode, I take you with me on my final writing walk through the Wicklow Mountains. Along the way, I share: How walking became my most powerful writing tool How ancient ruins and fairy gardens ended up shaping my

19:02

The Quill & Candle — Episode 3: A Writing Retreat in...

Story Secrets ·

2025/06/29

I’m back in Glendalough, where the idea for my fantasy novel was born. A year ago, I was walking along the ancient pilgrim paths here, and my imagination just ran wild. What if the old stories about saints and miracles were all true? What if the forests hid elves, wild beasts, and unseen magic?That spark turned into the book I’m now finishing. Being here again, surrounded by lakes and monastic ruins, I feel why I wanted to write this story in the first place. Because stories have always

33:21

The Quill & Candle — Episode 2: Dragons, Protestors &...

Story Secrets ·

2025/06/16

Welcome to another cozy, story-rich episode of The Quill & Candle, where fantasy, faith, and long walks collide in unexpected (and often hilarious) ways. In this episode, I recount a memorable visit to a fantasy festival held—of all places—in a decommissioned church… complete with protestors at the door and cosplayers on the catwalk.✨ What’s inside: My encounter with protestors yelling “Don’t lose your soul!” (spoiler: I went in anyway) Reflections on why fantasy and faith aren't

42:41

The Quill & Candle — Episode 1: A New Weekly Show!

Story Secrets ·

2025/06/09

Welcome to the very first episode of The Quill & Candle, a weekly show where I share what it’s like to write fantasy stories as a Catholic priest—and what I’m learning along the way. In this launch episode, I reflect on one month of daily storytelling and how a simple habit—walking in the woods and dictating ideas into my phone—has become a wellspring of creativity. You’ll hear: How I accidentally became a Substack writer Why I’m writing both epic fantasy and children’s stories set

4:47

Story Secrets - The Pie Runner

Story Secrets ·

2025/06/02

Running has been a part of my life for years. I still remember the pure joy of crossing the finish line in my first half-marathon—and the wild mix of exhaustion and exhilaration when I completed a full one.But time marches on. Recovery takes longer, keeping my pace requires more effort. During a training run, an idea popped into my head. I recorded the elements of the story with an app on my watch. That is why I sound so out of breath! You can compare this very early version of the story

43:33

Story Secrets - The Girl Who Drew The World

Story Secrets ·

2025/06/01

What started as a simple idea—a girl who could draw anything into existence—quickly turned into one of the most emotional and layered fairy tales I’ve written so far. Honestly, I didn’t know where it was going when I began. I just hit record and told the story aloud, like I often do. No plan. No outline. Just a girl in a garden, a magical feather, and the desire to create something beautiful. But as I kept telling it, the story took a turn. Suddenly it was about sisters. About envy and

34:50

Story Secrets - The Ratfather

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/31

🧀 I planned to write a cute squirrel story set in the Vatican Gardens. It turned into The Godfather.It was supposed to be a cozy little tale about nuts, teamwork, and helping your neighbor. But then… the rat showed up. He sauntered in, offered help, spoke in velvet tones, and called the squirrel “brother.” Before I knew it, I was knee-deep in a squirrel-mafia parable about extortion, complicity, and sacrifice. And somehow, it ended on Christmas Eve under the lights of St. Peter’s

23:14

Story Secrets - Of Dragons and Bedsheets

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/30

This story came to me in the shower this morning. No pen. No notebook. Just me, soaked and wide-eyed, scrambling to dry off, throw on some clothes, and hit record on my phone before it vanished. Writers, you know the drill—your brain ignores deadlines but delivers entire plots the second you’re unreachable and half-soapy. Of Dragons and Bedsheetsis what spilled out. It’s about a cozy bookstore with a locked door, a girl who wants to read but ends up forced to write, and a bestselling

18:08

Story Secrets - The Final Ascension

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/29

Ascension Day is one of those quiet feasts that slips by unnoticed for many—forty days after Easter, Christ returnsto His Father, and we're left looking at the sky, wondering what comes next. That moment—of absence, silence, and waiting—has always fascinated me. It’s not the climax of the story. It’s the breath held between promise and fire. Today’s short story was born from that space. Set in a magical monastery tower where angels help scribes craft living stories, The Final Ascension

56:21

Story Secrets - The Better Quill

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/28

This story began on a rainy walk with an umbrella in one hand and my recorder in the other. It’s about a young monk named Ciarán, a humble chicken feather gifted by his mother, and a growing hunger for something better—more elegant, more powerful, more admired. His journey takes him far beyond the monastery, chasing birdsong and shimmering promises. What he finds is both breathtaking and dangerous. And centuries later, in the ruins of the scriptorium, an old monk with trembling hands must

18:31

Story Secrets - The Rock and the Pebble

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/27

Did you know that during archaeological excavations beneath Saint Peter’s Basilica, researchers discovered not only human remains believed to be those of Saint Peter… but also the perfectly preserved skeleton of a tiny field mouse? That one detail set my imagination spinning. In today’s episode, I share the rough first version of a new story inspired by that curious find—a tale of storms and satchels, of fear and friendship, of a little mouse who might have been closer to Peter than anyone

39:31

Story Secrets - The Great Cheese Roll

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/26

🧀 The Great Cheese Roll is here! One wheel to roll them all — and in the laughter bind them Today is the Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling Race, where brave souls chase a 7lb wheel of cheese down one of the steepest hills in England. So of course… I had to write a fantasy version. Monks, mist, a lake of molten cheese, and a mysterious saboteur trying to ruin the fun. But some magic defends itself—with joy. Bring snacks. Preferably crackers.

11:20

Story Secrets - The Lamb and the Catacombs

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/25

Today’s story is about a lamb. But not just any lamb. He kicked over jars. He chewed expensive sandals. He absolutely did not want to be a model. Until he met a quiet boy. A boy who carried him—not just for a statue, but through fear and darkness—until one day, in a moment no one expected, the lamb carried him. This story is inspired by an early Christian statue of the Good Shepherd found in the Roman catacombs. I wondered… what if that lamb on Jesus’ shoulders had a story of its own?

20:53

Story Secrets - The Dark Mage Strikes Back Part II

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/24

In this second and final part of my fantasy homage to The Empire Strikes Back, we return to the snowy peaks, haunted forests, and sacred ruins of a medieval Irish world where story itself is magic—and belief can shape reality. Our young squire Lucan journeys to Clonmacnoise to begin his training under a strange old hermit named Jonah, only to discover that the deeper the story goes, the more tangled it becomes. Meanwhile, Brother Hanric and Sister Lira flee through a living mountain, only

18:55

Story Secrets - The Dark Mage Strikes Back Part 1

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/23

When I was 12 years old, I sat in a dark cinema and watched The Empire Strikes Back for the first time. I never recovered—and I mean that in the best possible way. It became my all-time favorite film, and it’s shaped the way I think about stories ever since.To mark its 45th anniversary this week, I asked myself: What if that story—of hope, betrayal, and impossible odds—took place in the medieval Irish fantasy world of my upcoming novel? The result is The Dark Mage Strikes Back: a two-part

17:11

Story Secrets - A Little Piece of Heaven

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/22

New Story: A Cup of Hope and a Slice of Heaven The cozytavern where no brew will ever be the same, and neither will you.Somewhere along an old pilgrimage road in the Irish hills, there’s a crooked little cottage with a creaky door, a glowing hearth, and the scent of cinnamon and pine. Most travelers pass it by. But those who step inside find something more than a warm drink and a fresh scone. They find healing. They find stories. They find each other. In today’s short story, I invite you

35:04

Story Secrets - The Prelate, the Poodle and the Pizza

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/21

In today's episode, I share the original version of a children's story I made up about a poodle and a chihuahua in Rome. The poodle's owner is a tradition-loving cardinal, whereas the chihuahua is the dog of a chef who one day decides to start experimenting with unconventional pizza toppings.The dogs go on an adventure in the streets of Rome that ultimately end up affecting their owners as well. The final version of the story will be part of my upcoming children's book about the animals of

13:17

Story Secrets - Nothing's Supposed To Live Forever

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/20

There’s a moment in The Ballad of Phil and Phyllis—a TikTok song about an immortal groundhog and his mortal love—when the music quiets, and Phil sings of watching everything fade while he stays the same. The fame, the crowds, the shadow he casts… none of it matters when the one you love is slipping away.That moment hit me hard. I didn’t expect to tear up over a musical groundhog ballad. But I did. Because this wasn’t just a clever spin on Punxsutawney Phil’s quirky legend. It was about

60:27

Story Secrets - The Boy Who Cried Dragon

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/19

He Feared the Worst. The Worst Listened. What if your imagination had power? Not metaphorical power—the real kind. The kind that calls lightning when you expect rain. That conjures monsters when you picture danger. That makes the world tremble at the sound of your worst-case scenarios. That’s the idea behind today’s short story: The Boy Who Cried Dragons. It’s a tale I told in one go—no script, no editing, just my imagination and a microphone. And yet, it may be one of the most personal

37:30

Story Secrets - The Mouse Who Wanted to Be a Saint

Story Secrets ·

2025/05/18

What does it take to become a saint? That’s the question at the heart of today’s story—and one very small mouse is determined to find out. Born behind a cabinet in the sacristy of Saint Peter’s Basilica, Topolino has a dream that’s bigger than crumbs or cheese: he wants to stand among the saints. In this whimsical (and slightly dangerous) tale set inside the Vatican, you’ll meet: 🐭 A mouse with holy ambition 🐱 A velvet-pawed cat named Don Purrleone 👩‍🍳 A kitchen nun with excellent

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