Longwinded One: The Podcast

Join us as we sit down with LitRPG authors R.A. Cooper and Aoife Wai, who also collaborate under the shared pen name Cooper Wai. We explore the stories behind A Titan's Core, Battle Bard, Bone Queen, and the Uncharted Bloodlines Universe, diving into unwritten lore, deleted scenes, and the unexpected side characters who became reader favorites. We also discuss Hunter Origins, their cultivation...

This week on Spoiler Sessions, I sat down with Dakota Krout alongside his longtime audiobook collaborator Christian J. Gilliland for a wide-ranging conversation covering the past, present, and future of Dakota's ever-expanding universe of stories. We explored fan-favorite series including The Completionist Chronicles, Full Murderhobo, The Divine Dungeon, and the upcoming Chance Encounter, divi...

In this Spoiler Session, we sit down with author Travis Deverell (Shirtaloon) and narrator Heath Miller just four weeks before LitRPG Con to dissect the massive thirteen-book journey of Jason Asano. Travis reflects on the evolution of his non-traditional hero, speculating on whether current-book Jason would win an argument against his Book 1 self, while discussing the difficulty of keeping curse-b...

In this episode of Spoiler Sessions, I sit down with author Reck Well to dive deep into their LitRPG series *Stumbling Up*. We explore some of the story's biggest mysteries, including whether the System is truly neutral, the possibility of more off-worlders arriving from Earth, Meredeath's missing sister, and the truth behind Richard the banana slug's immortality and origins. We also d...

This week on Spoiler Sessions, I sat down with LitRPG pioneer Luke Chmilenko, joined by special guest narrator Neil Hellegers, to talk about everything from the upcoming traditional hardcover release of Ascend Online through Aethon to Luke's future projects, Requiem and The Last Sovereign. We discussed how LitRPG has evolved since the genre's early days, which trends Luke was excited about...

LitRPG author Ryan Tang joins the podcast for a deep dive into Mimic & Me, Second Chance Circus, and the challenges of building long-running progression fantasy worlds. Joined by guest co-host Dakota from the UpperPen Podcast, we talk about Chester’s hidden past, foreshadowing demons and Calamities, balancing planning versus letting a story “breathe,” and how Ryan completely reworked character...

In this Spoiler Session, I’m joined by Jason Downs from DownstoRead as we sit down with John Stovall to dig deep into the world behind Demon Card Enforcer. We talk about the design philosophy behind new cards and expansions, the gods and factions driving the Great Game, and how future series like Card Apocalypse fit into the larger setting he’s building. If you enjoy deep worldbuilding, card mecha...

In this episode of Spoiler Sessions, The Longwinded One sits down with LitRPG veteran Harmon Cooper and special guest Andrea Parsneau for a conversation about the evolution of the genre, the rise of audiobook-first audiences, and how author and narrator collaborations can shape a series for years. Harmon and Andrea talk about how they first started working together back in 2018, what they think Li...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dennis from Dennis Reads LitRPG as we sit down with Haylock Jobson to dive into the world of Heretical Fishing. We explore why fishing is treated as heresy in the setting and whether that taboo has real roots or is just a lingering belief no one questions anymore. We also get into the turning point in Book 2 where food becomes a pathway to cultivation and how that id...

In this episode of Spoiler Sessions, we sit down with RinoZ and special guest Jeff Hays to dig into Chrysalis from the inside out. We explore big “what if” moments like whether Anthony could ever replace or rebuild the Queen and what that would mean for the colony’s identity, break down the comedic (and maybe not-so-comedic) dynamic between Isaac Bird and Morrelia, and talk about how characters li...

In this Spoiler Session, we sit down with Stuart Grosse and go straight into specific moments across his series. We dig into Memoirs of a Supervillain, breaking down Iceblade’s own villain categories and how his identity shifts over time, along with the darker early scenes that may not have made the cut. In Dark Fate, we talk about whether the MC ever had a more heroic path (he didn't). We als...

Four of the voices helping shape the LitRPG community sit down for a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation about what really keeps the genre thriving. Evan Durham and Jay Taylor from the LitRPG Group, Sean Hall from LitRPG Books, and Stephen Landry from Club Kaiju break down how they became moderators, what separates a great community from a chaotic one, and why they keep coming back day after da...

Michael Chatfield joins me and special co-host Jess from In Other Worlds Podcast for a deep dive into Restarting the Apocalypse, Ten Realms, and Emerilia. We talk about the original version of RTA, where Len and Rick were first meant to build up a refuge in Eskon City before the apocalypse, how the series is evolving as characters begin to feel like legends in their own worlds, and how long Michae...

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...

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 character...

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 p...

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...

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...

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...

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 prota...

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, K...

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 u...

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 hi...

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 number...

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 Po...