Shows
UpperPen PodcastChris Tucci narrator of Children of the Cold MoonChris Tucci is an actor and narrator who performed Children of the Cold Moon by The Longwinded One (whom I've previously spoken with).
This is one of my favorite LitRPGs of 2024!2025-01-1036 min
UpperPen PodcastConstance Fay author of The Uncharted Hearts trilogyConstance Fay is the author of Calamity, Fiasco, and coming March 11th Chaos. These are science fiction/romance. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of Chaos! I received an ARC from Netgalley and it was super fun!
Don't forget to pick up copies of all The Uncharted Hearts books!2024-12-2041 min
UpperPen PodcastThe Longwinded One author of Children of the Cold MoonThe Longwinded one sat down and chatted with me about his first ever novel: Children of the Cold Moon, book 1 of The Four Treasures Saga. You might know his voice from his podcast, The Longwinded One (https://longwinded.one/category/litrpg-gamelit/). He even has an interview with Max Heiliger of the CritRPG Podcast and myself. You can find that interview below.
Let me know what you liked about the interview in the comments!
https://longwinded.one/episode-242-interview-with-max-and-dakota/2024-12-131h 09
UpperPen PodcastAnaleigh Sbrana author of Lore of the WildsLore of the Wilds is a wonderful entry into romantasy! Book two: Lore of the Tides is out July 8, 2025. I am very excited about this sequel!
A library with a deadly enchantment.
A Fae lord who wants in.
A human woman willing to risk it all for a taste of power.
In a land ruled by ruthless Fae, twenty-one-year-old Lore Alemeyu’s village is trapped in a forested prison. Lore knows that any escape attempt is futile—her scars are a testament to her past failures. But when her village is threatened, Lore makes a desperate deal with a Fae...2024-12-1148 min
Longwinded One: The PodcastS05E42 - The Four Treasures: Interview with Max and DakotaIn this episode we talked with two podcasters: Max Heiliger of the CritRPG Podcast and Dakota VanLinden of the UpperPen Podcast. These two were inspiration to me, as I began season 5 and decided to switch to LitRPG authors and narrators. Come and listen as we talk about our favorite genres, and the secrets of what goes on behind the scene of a podcast.
Links:
https://linktr.ee/madix3
https://upperpen.com/2024-09-1357 min
UpperPen PodcastAmiee Gibbs author of The Carnivale of CuriositiesAmiee Gibbs talks about her novel The Carnivale of Curiosities, victorian inspiration, and language, and we try to skirt around some fantastic twisty turns (aka spoilers!). I think we stayed well enough away, but let me know what you think!
Get The Carnivale of Curiosities at your local bookstore or online!
2024-01-1737 minUpperPen PodcastTravis Baldree 2 author of Bookshops and BonedustYou know Travis Baldree. If you don't, you've likely heard of Legends and Lattes by now at least. Bookshops and Bonedust is the prequel to L&L. Travis is a very interesting dude who does it all. I loved this fun book, check it out and let me know what you think of it.
2024-01-1733 minUpperPen PodcastEmber Holt author of Brutal Rival (Warning: Spicy Book Talk)I warn you now that there is a bit of spicy language at the beginning. Ember Holt writes spicy novels such as Brutal Rival and The Chimera Bounty!
Check her out at emberholtwrites.com
2024-01-1746 minUpperPen PodcastMichael Mammay author of Generation ShipMichael Mammay is the author of Generation Ship and Planetside. I am so excited to get into Planetside now that I've read Generation Ship.
2024-01-1741 minUpperPen PodcastScott Sigler author of The CryptScott is not only a fantastic writer, he also has a fantastic online presence! Check him out at https://scottsigler.com.
2024-01-1748 minUpperPen PodcastThea Guazon author of The Hurricane Wars
Thea Guazon is a fantastic writer and extremely interesting. I loved hearing about her connection to history in the Philippines and how that history impacted her book. If you haven't seen it already there is a beautiful special edition put out by Waterstones in the UK. I've ordered my copy.
2024-01-1732 minUpperPen PodcastJeffery Angles translator of Godzilla and Godzilla Raids AgainI saw this book and knew I needed to talk to Jeff. This is the first English translation of the Godzilla novels by Shigeru Kayama. I loved this book and need you to also love it, or at least like it. Mostly because I hella want a Mothra translation from Jeff.
2024-01-1753 minUpperPen PodcastStephanie Burgis author of Claws and ContrivencesStephanie is one of my favorite indie authors. Her books have compelling characters, fun stories, and weird quirks! I love them. Good Neighbors is a great place to start, but so is Scales and Sensibility.
I am part of her Patreon and its wonderful getting stories early and hearing what she is reading! https://patreon.com/stephanieburgis
2024-01-1742 minUpperPen PodcastKB Wagers author of The Ghosts of TrappistsKB Wagers has three books in the NeoG series: A Pale Light in the Black, Hold Fast Through the Fire, and The Ghosts of Trappist. They also have a wonderful series the Iridian War which begins with Behind the Throne!
You can find their books online or through your local book store!
2024-01-1754 minUpperPen PodcastMary Roach author of FuzzRoach is my favorite non-fiction author because she makes topics I have no experience in accessible, entertaining, and engaging. Fuzz is no different. Roach talked about getting started on the book and why understanding the interactions between animals and humans is so important.2023-10-0643 min
UpperPen PodcastNess Brown author of The Scourge Between StarsMan, Tor Nightfire is putting out some hits. Ness Brown's The Scourge Between Stars is a short romp through the horror of being in space. Brown is an astrophysicist in training and the realism that comes from their work and education comes through in the futile and somewhat hopeless situations that the crew of the Calypso find themselves in.2023-04-2527 min
UpperPen PodcastDavid Wellington author of Paradise-1If a book is horror sci-fi, I will pretty much buy it no questions asked. If a book is horror sci-fi set in space, I'll likely enjoy it. If a book is horror sci-fi set in space and is written by David Wellington, well shit, I'm gonna need to talk about it to everyone I know because the love I have for the book cannot be contained!2023-04-1852 min
UpperPen PodcastSeth Ring author of Nova Terra LitRPG SeriesI was late to the game on Nova Terra but I am all in now. Seth talks about how he got started on Nova Terra and shares some interesting tidbits about self-publishing.2023-03-2852 min
UpperPen PodcastShannon Chakraborty author of The Adventures of Amina Al-SirafiChakraborty has written one of my favorite pirate novels. Amina is a fresh look at pirate life because she is retired. I cannot stress how fun this book was.2023-03-0843 min
UpperPen PodcastRachel Gillig author of One Dark WindowI was on a gothic literature bent and found One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig. This novel was fantastic. I love the romance, the magic system, and the mystery that is hidden at the heart of the book.2022-12-2748 min
UpperPen PodcastRA Salvatore author of the Drizzt booksI was so excited to get to talk to RA Salvatore. I've been a fan of his for a long time now and never expected to get the chance to interact with him. Anyway, he was great to talk to and had some interesting views on the changes in the publishing industry.2022-10-1732 min
UpperPen PodcastCale Plamann author of Tower of Somnus LitRPG seriesThere are some spoilers for the series in this podcast. I had some questions for Cale and I was on book two at the time of recording the episode.2022-09-1234 minUpperPen PodcastCharles s. Cockell astrobiologist and author of Taxi From Another PlanetCockell talks about his work as an astrobiologist and his conversations with taxi cab drivers about the topic. This book is entertaining and informative. 2022-08-2938 minUpperPen PodcastNeil Hellegers narrator of The Good Guys LitRPGHellegers is the real deal kind of actor. He talks about how getting his degree in acting helps his career as a narrator and why it is so important to support other people in the narration field. 2022-08-2952 minUpperPen PodcastValerie Valdes author of Fault ToleranceValdes talks about her sci-fi series that ends with Fault Tolerance. Additionally, she talks about including Cuban-Spanish without translations in the books!2022-08-2850 minUpperPen PodcastDr. Erin Kimmerle Anthropologist and Author of We Carry Their BonesDr. Kimmerle talks about forensic anthropology and the ethics behind digging for human remains.2022-08-2832 minUpperPen PodcastBenjamin Kerei author of Oh, Great! I Was Reincarnated as a FarmerKerei talks about LitRPG and naming his books the longest thing he can think of.2022-08-2851 minUpperPen PodcastNathaniel "Nat20" Webb editor of Wyngraf A Cozy Fantasy MagazineNat20 talks about starting Wyngraf and how cozy fantasy has grown over the pandemic.2022-08-2825 minUpperPen PodcastChristopher Johns author of The Hijinks Hightable LitRPG seriesJohns talks about how his time in the Marines impacted (or jumpstarted) his writing career. Additionally, he talks about the influence of different cultures in deciding the racial features of the characters. 2022-08-281h 00UpperPen PodcastJohnathan Smidt author of Dungeon Core Online LitRPGSmidt talks about LitRPG and Dungeon Core.2022-08-2840 minUpperPen PodcastAndrea Parsneau Narrator of The Wandering InnParsneau talks about narrating the Wandering Inn and an embarrassing moment with her mother as her editor.2022-08-2853 minUpperPen PodcastJR Mathews author of Jake's Magical Market a LitRPG novelMathews talks about how he got started writing and the structure of the book. Not to mention the lack of market in Jake's Magical Market.2022-08-2830 minUpperPen PodcastEric Ugland author of The Good Guys LitRPG booksThis is an old episode from 2020.2022-08-2834 min
UpperPen PodcastCale Plamann author of the Blessed Time seriesCale was wonderful and fun. Enjoy the interview.2022-05-1540 min
UpperPen PodcastJeff Hays narrator and founder of Soundbooth TheaterWe talked about how Jeff got started narrating, Soundbooth Theater, working with Matt Dinniman on Dungeon Crawler Carl, what comes next, and Soundbooth's Deep Dives! Check out Soundbooththeater.com for more on what Jeff is up to, and join the GameLit Society on Facebook (or Twitter) to follow what is happening and find out what books are coming out!2022-04-051h 04UpperPen PodcastMatt Dinniman author of Dungeon Crawler CarlMatt Dinniman is the author of a few series, but Dungeon Crawler Carl is by and far the most popular. So, popular in fact that dozens of people sent Audible pictures of feet when his book wasn't released in a timely manner. Go to the GameLit Society on Facebook (or Twitter) to see what is happening in the GameLit world and interact with authors and other readers!2022-03-2938 min
UpperPen PodcastNick Podehl narrator of LitRPG and Progression FantasyNick Podehl is a narrator of primarily fantasy and LitRPG. That does not mean that is what he is limited to though. He voices entire casts of books on the regular and makes it look easy!
His audiobooks include but are not limited to:
The Land by Aleron Kong
Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfus
Awakened by C.M. Carney
and you can find many, many, more on his website: https://www.nickpodehl.com/2022-03-2840 min
UpperPen PodcastBeebe Bahrami author of Cafe NeandertalBeebe Bahrami is the author of The Spiritual Traveler Spain and Historic Walking Guides Madrid. Her work has appeared in Archaeology, Wine Enthusiast, Bark, The Pennsylvania Gazette, National Geographic Books, and Michelin Green Guides, among other publications. She has written two travel apps, The Esoteric Camino France and Spain and Madrid Walks, and maintains two blogs, Café Oc, on life in the Dordogne, and The Pilgrim's Way Café, dedicated to exploring the world on foot. beebebahrami.weebly.com.2022-03-2832 min
UpperPen PodcastM. R. Carey author of The Trials of KoliM. R. Carey is a writer who is equally at home in a wide range of media. His previous novel The Girl With All the Gifts was a word-of-mouth-bestseller and is soon to be a major motion picture based on his own screenplay. Under the name Mike Carey he has written for both DC and Marvel, including critically acclaimed runs on X-Men and Fantastic Four, Marvel's flagship superhero titles. His creator-owned books regularly appear in the New York Times graphic fiction bestseller list. He also has several previous novels, two radio plays and a number of TV and movie...2022-03-2833 min
UpperPen PodcastDakota Krout LitRPG author and founder of Mountaindale PressDakota Krout is the author of many LitRPG books, including The Completionist Chronicles. With familiarity in programming and playing games, he decided to start writing books because he was interested in creating worlds that force the main character to develop. In his stories, characters undergo serious moral dilemmas and become stronger through training and experience. This is coincidentally how he has structured his life as a professional writer as well. Dakota found self-publishing to be the route for him and has since grown as a writer and entertained thousands with his wonderful stories, as well as the stories he...2022-03-2838 min
UpperPen PodcastCharlie J. Eskew author of Tales of the Astonishing Black SparkCharlie J. Eskew is a writer from Columbus, Ohio. He is a professional comic book shop lurker and tenured Black dude in America. Please satisfy your unnatural obsession with him via Twitter @CJEskew or his website, www.askeweskew.com.
Trapped in a dead-end job in his Ohio hometown, watching the girl of his dreams move on to a glamorous new life in a big city--Donald McDougal's aimlessness has held him back for a long time. When a lightning strike grants him superhuman powers, he jumps at his chance to finally be somebody. But the new abilities and t...2022-03-2823 min
UpperPen PodcastKacen Callender author of Queen of the ConqueredBorn and raised in St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands, Kacen Callender is a bestselling and award-winning author of the middle-grade novels Hurricane Child and King and the Dragonflies, the young-adult novels This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story and Felix Ever After, and the adult novel Queen of the Conquered and its forthcoming sequel King of the Rising. They enjoy playing RPG video games in their free time. Kacen currently resides in Philadelphia, PA. Queen of the
Conquered synopsis: An ambitious young woman with the power to control minds seeks vengeance against the royals wh...2022-03-2828 min
UpperPen PodcastPeng ShepherdPeng Shepherd is the author of The Cartographers, a novel from Nell Young's point of view. This novel is unique because there is so much love and of course, the hidden settlements in maps. Nell ends up on a journey to find out what happened to her father that she hadn't spoken to in 7 years. Along this journey, she finds out what happened to her mother and gets pulled into the same mystery that consumed her parents' lives. I highly suggest the book. It was magical and real and I just haven't seen this much love of other people o...2022-03-2829 min
UpperPen PodcastEric Ugland author of The Good Guys/The Bad Guys LitRPG booksEric Ugland is the author of The Good Guys series which follows a Michigander named Montana in the world of Valdrani. If you like massively overpowered main characters who still manage to fuck up, this is your series. If you are looking for something a little more subtle, check out The Bad Guys (which I have now read all of and am eagerly awaiting the next book). Go to the GameLit Society on Facebook (or Twitter) to see what is happening in the GameLit world and interact with authors and other readers!2022-03-2834 min
UpperPen PodcastTravis Baldree narrator and author of Legends and LattesIf you listen to Game Lit or LitRPG you've probably heard his voice. But have you read his book? Or listened to him read his book? Legends and Lattes is a fantastic book about friendships, belonging, the quiet life, and coffee. I really highly suggest this book to anyone who has wanted to know what happens when the adventure stops and to people who have had a large change in their life and need to find their way again. Go to the GameLit Society on Facebook (or Twitter) to see what is happening in the GameLit world and interact w...2022-03-2840 min
UpperPen PodcastS.A. Barnes author of Dead SilenceDead Silence is a great Sci-Fi Horror, you can find more about what I think in my blog post at UpperPen.com. S.A. Barnes, otherwise known as Stacey Kade, is possibly my new best sci-fi friend. She loves Aliens, Ghost Ship, and is the perfect amount of nerdy! Get Dead Silence if you haven't yet! It does not disappoint.2022-03-2833 min
UpperPen PodcastRyan Rimmel author of NoobtownThis video was recorded in December of 2020. We talked about how he got started writing Noobtown, Jim as an older character, and Ryan's publishing woes for the first book. I love this series and hope you enjoy this interview even though it is older. Also, the Facebook groups he is mentioning are LitRPG and Game Lit Society. I am more active on Game Lit Society and that is mainly because it has a bunch of authors I enjoy as active members of the group.2022-03-2830 minUpperPen PodcastS. A. Barnes interviewI interviewed S.A. Barnes (aka Stacey Kade) about her book Dead Silence. This is a great sci-fi horror with homages to Alien.2022-03-1633 minUpperPen PodcastEric Ugland InterviewThis is an interview I recorded in December of 2020. If you want a little more on the long wait, head over to my website UpperPen.com for more info. Anyway, Eric writes hilarious LitRPG series, The Good Guys and The Bad Guys.2022-03-1634 minUpperPen PodcastPeng Shepherd InterviewPeng Shepherd talked about writing her second novel The Cartographers. This book is amazing. I kept thinking I knew where it was going, but her characters are complex and have complex motivations! So good.2022-03-1629 min
UpperPen PodcastJessie MihalikJessie Mihalik has a degree in Computer Science and a love of all things geeky. A software engineer by trade, Jessie now writes full time from her home in Texas. When she’s not writing, she can be found playing co-op video games with her husband, trying out new board games, or reading books pulled from her overflowing bookshelves.
We spoke about her book Hunt the Stars, the first in the Starlight's Shadow Trilogy.2022-02-2828 minUpperPen PodcastJessie Mihalik InterviewJessie Mihalik is the author of Hunt the Stars, a sci-fi romance that was released on February 1st, 2022. The second book, Eclipse the Moon is available in July of 2022. Check out her other books Polaris Rising, Aroura Blazing, and Chaos Reigning.2022-02-2828 min