We've reverted back to using Weebly as our main website for now, instead of having a separate landing page on this forum for holonetaudio.com  We will continue to use Weebly while it is practical; we've gotten more web traffic on that platform. Of course, this forum will continue to be used, in the hopes that we will keep on growing a family-friendly community of fans and fanfiction writers & readers.

I just restarted the "Featured Track of the Month," which was an ongoing thing on the old landing page here.  I will try to change it to a different track at the beginning of every month. 

If anyone has a request for a specific track that they would like featured for that month, just private message me on here.

In addition to costuming/cosplay and fanfiction writing over the years, I am also guilty of another little pleasure that I am all too happy to share here. A tradition that I simply call, "Cheesecake Face."  Allow me to briefly explain.

It all started in 2011 when I was at Disneyland with a few friends.  I discovered that they had cheesecake.  I adore cheesecake. I decided to show how much I adore cheesecake. And looking at me today, as opposed to looking at what I looked like back then, you can really tell that I adore cheesecake. But I digress. 

"Cheesecake Face," when executed properly, consists of holding a fork or spoon in one hand (preferably a fork, as a spoon appears less menacing to the poor defenseless cheesecake slice), a plate of cheesecake in the other, your face somewhere between the two, and beady-eyes that clearly communicate to the slice of cheesecake that it's disappearance is imminent.  A wide-open and/or salivating mouth is optional. Here is a sample collage of Cheesecake Faces in the wild:




And now... although there are literally hundreds of these images out there, I nevertheless feel compelled to share with you a GIF featuring dozens of desserts over the years, my face, and the expression of delightful cheesecake doom:



Of course, I am not done. There are more of these. Many many more. Too many for this post. But alas, I cannot just leave you with the above. So, a few more for the road. Or hyperspace lane:









And of course, it wouldn't be right to do a "Cheesecake Face" pic without a HoloNet Audio t-shirt on:




And finally, there is the Anti-Cheesecake Face pic.  If I have a kryptonite, an Achilles Heel, it is pickles.  I hate pickles. Pickles are an abomination. A waste of a perfectly good cucumber.  And so, the "Anti-Cheesecake Face" pic. I guarantee this is the only one of these to exist:





Oh yeah, I also attached a "Cheesecake Face" video.

Hit that REPLY button and post your "Cheesecake Face" pics!

Hi all,

My name is Jessica (Jess is fine, Jessie is not) and I'm a fan of both Star Trek and Star Wars. My favorite trek is Deep Space 9, although I confess I have yet to see all of any of the series out there. I have Paramount+, I'm working on it! My favorite captain is Picard, although we call one of our cats James Tiberius Cat.

My favorite Star Wars is The Empire Strikes back, but not for the reason you probably think. My favorite characters are Leia, Salacious Crumb, and Finn, roughly in that order.

As you can tell by my profile photo, I am a costumer. I have multiple Star Wars costumes and one Star Trek-inspired dress. I don't foresee adding any more Trek costumes to my rotation, but there are plenty of Star Wars costumes I'd still love to have.

I just want to be clear about how I use AI on HoloNet Audio, as opposed to my chief complaint above, about it being used completely in fanfilms, etc.

To be clear, I NEVER fully use AI in the audio I produce on here.  I use it as a TOOL only.  I have been criticized so much for it on Facebook that I've had to retreat from using my own Facebook account for a while, logging in only as my page, instead of as myself.  It's really come down to that.

First of all, HoloNet Audio was founded in February 2013.  Thirteen years ago this month.  It succeeded Dark Empire Radio (founded in February 2010), on which I did largely the same thing.  So, I've been doing this for 16 years, long before the usage of AI became available like it is now.  If AI is banned or regulated, it won't affect me at all; I started using artificial intelligence tools around the same time this forum was created, to assist me with what I do.

• I've used AI voices, in addition to human voices, my own included, as needed.

• I've used AI background music, in addition to purchased royalty-free music.

• I've used AI artwork as a thumbnail to help visualize the accompanying audio track, and it is also included in any posted fanfiction PDF associated with that audio track.

• Lastly, as has happened on this forum, I believe it can be used to help others with creative writing difficulties.

In short, I understand that AI has its controversial drawbacks, but I can only speak of how I have used it constructively, to assist me with my audio hobby and to encourage others with learning or writing difficulties to formulate grammatical syntax, etc.  USE IT AS A TOOL, NOT TO DO YOUR WORK FOR YOU!

That has been and always will be the policy here. If the usage of AI is ever regulated or outlawed, it will not take away from the many years of audio I've put together already, and I can easily revert back to that without using AI.  It has only helped me, not harmed anyone.

---

All that said, on Facebook recently, I was in an involuntary debate with Bryan, another Star Wars podcast presenter who openly stated that if anyone posts "AI garbage" on his timeline, he would block them.  I completely understand his position. I commented about my mixed feelings on AI, as I've outlined already in this thread, stating that despite its shortcomings, it can be used for good, as I have used it.

Bryan replied that all AI is bad, and that as a writer and a filmmaker, AI has stolen intellectual property from him and others, and heavily damages the environment. I did not dispute his point, and stated that his opinion is certainly valid. I even encouraged him to prove the loss done to him and join any lawsuits currently in progress against AI; I certainly would if I were in that position.

But, he could not agree to disagree, like adults, as I offered. His army of friends on FB continually used metaphorical analogies to equate the usage of AI with stealing, and how it is completely unethical to use.  I tried to indicate that my opinion on the matter varies from theirs, and that would not change. If the tool exists as an option for me to use, then I am likely to use it if it helps me, as I have done. Again, I do not let artificial intelligence do my work for me!  I have spent, and continue to spend many long hours of my free time on this podcast, and now this community, trying to grow something I love.  I don't need AI for that. But if it helps me put together a believable and entertaining fanfiction podcast, if it helps me to reach out charitably and help other people, then I will use it. As a tool.  Nothing more than that.

Needless to say, the condescension toward me did not cease, and I had to block Bryan, and his Star Wars podcast page, on the eve of Star Wars Podcast Day. I felt very humiliated, low, and outright assaulted to my core after that. I will defend HoloNet Audio, and the work I have done over the years, with or without the help of AI, from others that would judge me or the work I have done, without even having listened to HoloNet Audio themselves, or having looked at this forum.  Plus, the very platform Bryan and his friends were preaching to me on, Facebook, has embraced and utilized AI way more than I certainly have. I see that as hypocrisy, pure and simple!

---

I apologize for another long post. But this explains my self-imposed exile from social media for now. This forum is my home, MY social media. I welcome those who support what I do on here.  I have no patience for hypocrites and others who would judge me or what I've done, especially after having spent so much time, money, and energy over the years. I love putting together quality family-friendly fanfiction audio stories.  Again, I don't need AI, but as a tool, it's recently helped. End of discussion.

I will keep this thread open for now, but if there is any disrespect, disparaging remarks, or condescension of any kind on this thread about this issue, then I will lock this thread.  I won't put up with anymore debate, especially here on this forum. We are here to have fun and enjoy ourselves as fans of STAR WARS and STAR TREK.  If you disagree with me about AI, you don't have to be here.  I agree it's probably bad for the environment, and I limit my usage of it accordingly. But be respectful and don't attack me if I've utilized it as an available tool to help me help others (i.e., the FANFIC charity project).

February 7th, 2026 will be the sixth annual STAR WARS Podcast Day! It's an unofficial event that more than 60 different STAR WARS podcasts will be taking part in. And HoloNet Audio  will be participating! The first recognized STAR WARS podcast occurred on February 7th, 1999 (long before they were called "podcasts").

Each participating podcast will publish an episode on or near that day, commemorating the event. For HoloNet Audio, I will republish a true piece of podcasting history on my part. I went through the remnants of Dark Empire Radio (the precursor podcast of HoloNet Audio), and I found the very first piece of Star Wars fanfiction I ever narrated on a podcast! 

I am also going to record a few moments of myself talking about Star Wars Podcast Day, and the details of how the decision to narrate fanfiction back in the day came about.

The weekend of February 7th will be a weekend long remembered!

Oh yeah... some astronauts are supposed to be on the way to the moon then, too.