Longwinded One: The Podcast

JD Glasscock stopped by to talk about some of the most emotionally charged parts of his work, including why Shira’s “The Leap” from Nocturne remains the single best scene he feels he’s ever written and why Jebediah’s PTSD was such an essential part of shaping Warborn. We also got into what trauma, sacrifice, and survival mean across his stories, while special guest Michael Norman Johnson, narrator of Warborn (alongside Sarah Puckett), joined the conversation to bring in the audiobook side of things. To top it off, JD also shared updates on the multiple music albums he has coming out over the next few months and teased a brand-new Wonderland-inspired Steampunk Grimdark LitRPG project currently in the works.

In this episode, we sit down with J.L. Mullins to dig into both Millennial Mage and Choose Your Apocalypse, starting with a fan theory that might sound wild but raises real questions about the deeper structure of his world—is Millennial Mage secretly compatible with something like Warhammer 40k? From there, we get into the future of the series, what almost happened behind the scenes with characters who were originally meant to die, and one of the biggest questions readers have right now: what actually happened to Kit during the Reforging. We also shift over to Choose Your Apocalypse to talk about the intent behind the “Apology Tutorial,” what it says about the System itself, and whether romance is even on the table for Alex. It’s a mix of theory, author insight, and just enough behind-the-scenes detail to give longtime readers something new to chew on.

In this episode, Casualfarmer joins The Longwinded One and guest host Samantha Boyd for a deep dive into the lore and development of Beware of Chicken. The conversation explores the origins of Xiulan’s character, as well as the mysterious backstory of her mother and the circumstances that brought her to Azure Hills. We also unpack the controversial betrayal of the Verdant Blade Sect, discuss how power actually works among cultivation sects in the series, and explore some of the deeper political and historical layers shaping the world of Beware of Chicken. It’s a fun mix of behind-the-scenes writing insight and cultivation lore for fans of the series.

In this episode, I’m joined by author Aaron Michael Ritchey, creator of Shadowcroft Academy for Dungeons and the Dungeon Accountant series, to talk about the strange and hilarious worlds of LitRPG authors. We dig into fan questions about why Logan begins Shadowcroft as a fungaloid, the chaos of Marko the goatman, and how something as bizarre as a professor specializing in silverware studies became part of the academy’s lore. We also explore the wider universe that links Shadowcroft and Dungeon Accountant, including themed worlds like the infamous puppy planet plus, and a visit from the narrator, Henry Kramer, that adds a little extra chaos to the episode (in the best possible way).

In this episode, I’m joined by Royal Road author AlwaysRollsAOne, along with special guest Camadt (aka Alex Hancock), to dig into the deeper layers of his universe, including the worlds of A Soldier’s Life and A Gladiator’s Life. We talk about what older societies like the elves might really know about the demon war, whether cyclical threats like the shadow clouds are meant to return, and how long-running plot threads evolve over nearly a decade of storytelling. We also discuss how POV chapters come together and how perspective shapes what readers see versus what stays behind the scenes, and take questions from the fans in chat.

In this episode, I take a deep dive into the worlds of Troy Osgood with special guest Richey Stephens of Richey’s Players Guild, exploring the ideas and creative decisions that shaped some of his biggest series. We discuss the original direction of Tales of a Far Rider, the ambitious 20+ book concept behind Sky Realms Online, and how the time jumps in The Connected System help tell a larger story of survival and civilization-building. We also talk about living and writing in New England, the collaborative process behind co-authored projects like the Jeff the Gamemaster series, and the community that makes LitRPG Con such a blast.

In this episode, we sit down with litrpg author Hunter Mythos to explore the surprising connections between his series and the characters that define them. From apocalypse survival and overpowered mastery to violence-driven progression and dungeon conquest, Hunter breaks down how each of his main characters represents a different path to strength and how they all trace back to his very first protagonist. We also dive into the possibility of a future regressor story, the chances of one of his works becoming a Webtoon, and the ultimate showdown question: in a fair fight, who wins between Joey Eclipse, Jay Luckrun, Arden the Nomad, and Zarian Darkrun? Joining the conversation is special guest Daryl Mayfield, narrator of Path of the Slayer.

In this episode, we sit down with fantasy author Shami Stovall for a deep dive into the worlds behind her stories — from the creatures that never made it into The Frith Chronicles to hidden secrets in Words of Power, including the mystery surrounding the Warden and some of the most popular fan theories about their identity. We also shine a spotlight on beloved side characters like Fain, Adelgis, Karna, and Sorin, exploring why they’ve resonated so strongly with readers. Joining the conversation is special guest Erebus Espirit, narrator of The Crown Tournament (co-written by Shami Stovall and Ryan Tang), for a behind-the-scenes look at bringing these characters to life in audio.

In this episode, Plum Parrot is joined by special guest Robb Moreira for a wide-ranging conversation driven by reader questions and behind-the-scenes craft talk. We tackle the long-running fan question of when Hector might finally become a berserking werewolf, dig into what “end game” really means for Victor as Victor of Tucson pushes deeper into its later stages, and explore whether there’s any universe overlap between Plum Parrot’s different series beyond the known Victor / Falling with Folded Wings connection. The discussion also covers Plum Parrot’s approach to worldbuilding, character creation, and outlining when launching a brand-new series, with Robb adding perspective from his own work on Victor of Tucson, Vainglory, and Neon Dust.

In this episode, I sit down with LitRPG author David North to dig deep into the world behind Guardian of Aster Fall, River of Fate, and Wild Era. We talk about what Sam is really doing after the end of Aster Fall, why a 5,000-year time jump in Wild Era isn’t as long as it sounds, and the role of Astral Titans and Sovereigns. Joining us is author Aaron Renfroe, who tells us why David "saved his life," and lets us in on his own spoiler- an upcoming collaboration with David!Guardian of Aster Fall 1-2: Deluxe Edition Hardcovers:https://www.patreon.com/posts/139503319

In this episode of Spoiler Sessions, I sit down with LitRPG author J.J. Thorn to dig into unused and abandoned lore from The Weight of It All. Thorn also shares what System Orphans: Claire was originally meant to become, why Claire wasn’t intended to be the only orphan, plus we get into a fan theory about a key character in the series. We also chat about his book club, the behind-the-scenes numbers and logistics of the annual massive LitRPG summer sale (including the traffic it pulls), and his webcomic Don’t Combust. We round things out with a look at audiobook adaptations and working with narrator Gabriel Vaughan.Next Release: Reaper's Madness Pre-Order: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSYXKFV2 Books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/J.J.-Thorn/author/B08RSMG2Z1 Website: www.jjthornbooks.com Webcomic: Webtoon Canvas Link: https://www.webtoons.com/en/canvas/dont-combust/list?title_no=1110445 Tapas Link:  https://tapas.io/episode/3762308 Globalcomix: https://globalcomix.com/c/don-t-combust Socials: @jjthornbooks

In this episode, Erin Ampersand joins me to talk about Apocalypse Parenting and the ideas driving the series, including why she chose to center the story on parents and kids and how community becomes the real survival mechanic. We touch on the shared universe between Apocalypse Parenting and Engineer’s Odyssey, explore reader interest in what comes after the series, and dig into characters like Pointy and Fluffy. The conversation turned a bit to Erin's new book, Measureless Magic, and we got a special guest in the form of Laurie Catherine Winkel, narrator extraordinaire.

On this episode of Spoiler Sessions, Jared hangs out with LitRPG authors J. Krauss (Will of the Immortals, The Immortals Mask, and the new VRMMO Lighting the Forge) and Tommy Kerper aka Sourpatch Hero (I’m Not the Hero) for a conversation about the stuff readers actually obsess over: side characters, cut lore, and the worldbuilding that never makes it on-page. They talk about Tommy’s unused locations like Veskar (and why authors suffer when their characters refuse to go where you want them to), the "dragon arc", and Jay’s new VRMMO setting, complete with Jade, an AI who’s basically the game’s goddess. If you love craft talk, fan theories, and the behind-the-scenes decisions that shape a series, you’re going to love this one!

In this episode, we sit down with Sean Oswald to dig into the craft and business of writing LitRPG at scale. We talk about writing to audio and why audiobooks make up such a significant portion of his readership, the future of Life in Exile as it heads toward book seven, and how four of his series coexist within a shared multiverse while still standing on their own. Peter Berkrot, narrator of Life in Exile, joined us for this candid, behind-the-scenes conversation about storytelling.

This week on the show, I’m joined by Tao Wong, author of The System Apocalypse and A Thousand Li. We dig into both series, including unused scenes, unwritten lore, and choices that shaped their endings—like new material added to the print editions of A Thousand Li and the never-written “Book 5.5” of The System Apocalypse. We also tackle long-running fan questions: Master Cheng’s fate, and what ultimately happened to Ali and Mikito. It’s a spoiler-aware conversation about progression fantasy, wuxia, xianxia, and why not every story is meant to close every door.

This week on Spoiler Sessions, I’m joined by sci-fi and LitRPG author Dawn Chapman to talk about her interconnected universe spanning Razor’s Edge and Through Steel and Stars. We dig into Pops’ origin story and the creation of the Razor’s Edge. Dawn shares insight into unwritten lore, character dynamics (including the much-talked-about Mal and Rus pairing). We are joined by Dawn's long-time friend and litRPG narrator, Wayne Mitchell. If you’re interested in how progression sci-fi is built from the ground up—both technically and emotionally—this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

JD Mullenary Sr. joins the show to talk about QuestWright and the Symphony series (formerly Creation), including how he builds his systems from scratch and what drives his worldbuilding approach. We get into Gatekeeper Jim’s unwritten backstory, Johnny’s role in Cassio’s arc, and how “negative space” can make a world feel bigger without overexplaining.Partway through the conversation, Johnathan McClain, narrator of the Symphony audiobooks, joins in to talk about performing the series, working with dense lore, and why characters like Dionysus are such a blast to voice.The episode stays spoiler-aware while still digging into craft, planning, and what’s coming next for both universes.

In this episode of Spoiler Sessions, I sit down with TJ Lombardi, author of Golem Master, for a deep-dive conversation that goes well beyond surface-level book talk. We focus on two things fans rarely get to hear about: unused scenes and side characters.Along the way, the episode turns into a full community hangout, with surprise appearances from Eric Ugland, Bosloe, Jess from the In Other Worlds Podcast, and Jay Beraz (some of whom appear in both the books and in real life).

In the Season Six premiere of Spoiler Sessions, we kick things off with LitRPG standout Ryan Maxwell, author of the Grand System Vending series. In this post-apocalyptic, system-integration survival story, the world ends, and the System arrives.Ryan (dog lover, father of three, Texan, and EdTech/IT professional) joins us to dig into: How Grand System Vending works under the hood: magic rules, spell creation, and the role of patrons, gods, deities, and fan theories about the mysterious dragon teased in book three.We’re also joined by surprise guest Steve Campbell, the narrator behind GSV, who talks about what makes Tom, Derrick, and James’ banter and loyalty hit so hard—both in combat and when the emotional bottom drops out.This episode was recorded live with an audience and plenty of chaos—exactly what Season Six is all about.https://longwinded.one/episode-251-spoiler-sessions-ryan-maxwell/

In this episode, Jared (the author) and Chris (the narrator) of Children of the Cold Moon talk about the story and the process of making the book. They introduce the last four chapters of Part 1 of the book. You get to listen to chapter 2. We hope you enjoy.