Arcade Bookshop

In Episode 10 of Arcade Bookshop, Bryce and Caleb talk about their writing acceptances and the submission process.

In the core of the show, the co-hosts discuss what a quality graphic novel looks like and whether or not the Riverdale comics accomplish this. They talk about the unique aspects of the otherwise typical illustrations, how the graphic novel compares and compliments the CW show, anachronistic references, and more!

Play and read along with the guys! See the UPDATED show schedule for the next 6 episodes below!

Show Schedule:

1/1: Pokemon Emerald

1/15: Animal Farm by George Orwell

1/29: Castlevania & Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

2/5: Dracula by Bram Stoker

2/19: The Plague by Albert Camus

3/4: Megaman 10

Send game and book pairing suggestions or comments to [email protected].

Follow us on TikTok @ArcadeBookshop!

Find us and send us a message @arcade_bookshop on Instagram.

In a special guest interview episode of Arcade Bookshop, Bryce and Caleb sit down with author David L. Craddock to talk about his book, Long Live Mortal Kombat, which explores the deep end of the arcade-era of the bloody, world-renown video game franchise. 

They talk video game development, writing, publishing, copyright dilemmas, and nostalgia. 

David is the perfect first special guest interview for Arcade Bookshop, emphasizing the importance of both books and games in our modern lives.

Instagram @arcade_bookshop.

TikTok @arcadebookshop

Send book and game pairing suggestions to [email protected]

In Episode 9 of Arcade Bookshop, Bryce and Caleb talk about Caleb's last minute game and book cramming, and Bryce reads Caleb's heartfelt texts about the game.

In the core of the show, the co-hosts discuss a love-hate relationship with Oxenfree. They talk about the cliche coming-of-age themes within the actually very unique horror elements and storytelling of the game. Some of the dialogue, however, is flawed in a variety of ways. Not to mention the relative lack of free will when it comes to progressing the game. 

Play and read along with the guys! See the UPDATED show schedule for the next 7 episodes below!

Show Schedule:

12/18: Riverdale Comics Vol. 1

1/1: Pokemon Emerald

1/15: Animal Farm by George Orwell

1/29: Castlevania & Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

2/5: Dracula by Bram Stoker

2/19: The Plague by Albert Camus

3/4: Megaman 10

Send game and book pairing suggestions or comments to [email protected].

Follow us on TikTok @ArcadeBookshop!

Find us and send us a message @arcade_bookshop on Instagram.

In Episode 8 of Arcade Bookshop, Bryce and Caleb talk about Bionic Reading.

In the core of the show, the co-hosts discuss the social controversy around H.P. Lovecraft as a person. They talk about his strange, sometimes dense writing style, as well as how incredibly inventive he is when it comes to describing and naming creatures and environments in settings for the storytelling we now call "cosmic horror." The man certainly deserves to be read, but is not without his faults. 

Play and read along with the guys! See the UPDATED show schedule for the next 8 episodes below!

Show Schedule:

12/4: Oxenfree (Cross-platform)

12/18: Riverdale Comics Vol. 1

1/1: Pokemon Emerald

1/15: Animal Farm by George Orwell

1/29: Castlevania & Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

2/5: Dracula by Bram Stoker

2/19: The Plague by Albert Camus

3/4: Megaman 10

Send game and book pairing suggestions or comments to [email protected].

Follow us on TikTok @ArcadeBookshop!

Find us and send us a message @arcade_bookshop on Instagram.

In Episode 7 of Arcade Bookshop, Bryce and Caleb talk about Bryce's blood plasma donations.

Then, Bryce continuously tries to convince Caleb to buy a Nintendo Switch so they can start playing more contemporary games together!

In the core of the show, the co-hosts discuss female leads, storytelling with atmosphere, and themes of isolation in the 1980s. 

Stay tuned for the next episode of Arcade Bookshop, when Bryce and Caleb do At The Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft, airing Monday, 11/20!

Play and read along with the guys! See the show schedule for the next 3 episodes below and leave a comment about your experiences!

Show Schedule:

11/20: At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft

12/4: Oxenfree (Cross-platform)

12/18: Riverdale Comics Vol. 1

Send game and book pairing suggestions or comments to [email protected].

Find us and send us a message @arcade_bookshop on Instagram.

Happy Halloween!

The guys talk about the scary consequences of AI and speaking into the microphone improperly.

In the core of the episode, they discuss "Zone One," a novel by Pulitzer Prize-Winning author, Colson Whitehead. It's a book about zombies, but not about zombies. Bryce proposes what it might really be about, and how it could've been executed a bit better. Look out for the top ridiculous things featured in the novel, as well as another edition of Top 5 Times!

Thank you all for listening to the podcast !

Look out for another new episode on Monday, 11/6, as originally planned!

Happy Halloween, Shoppers!

In the store tonight, joining your co-hosts Bryce and Caleb, is Zak Ballante, a.k.a. "The Crypt-Keeper" of Pittsburgh-based horror- and punk-inspired fitness company, Death Comes Lifting  @deathcomeslifting8107  . The guys discuss what horror stories mean to them and which types they think are most important.

In the core of the show, they discuss playing Resident Evil Director's cut, how it plays, how it functions in terms of storytelling, and what its sequels and predecessors do.

Featured at the end of this episode is a new segment, called Top Five Times! The guys talk about a few themes parallel to #residentevil and they each give their personal superlatives.

...and yes, Bryce is an idiot, but now realizes October 30th is not Halloween Eve-Eve.

In Episode 6 of Arcade Bookshop, Bryce and Caleb talk about each other's upcoming publications, Bryce's rejection goal for the year, as well as his squeaky chair. 

Then, Bryce mispronounces Neil Gaiman's last name when he introduces their discussion of his novel, American Gods. The co-hosts give a rundown of the events of the novel, discuss how Neil Gaiman might be one of the greatest living authors, how a British author wrote about AMERICAN Gods, and touch on the themes of identity, mortality (or not), sacrifice, and loyalty, which tie the book to last week's episode on Final Fantasy IX. 

Stay tuned for the next episode of Arcade Bookshop, when Bryce and Caleb talk about the Super Nintendo classic, Super Metroid, on 11/6.

Play and read along with the guys! See the show schedule for the next 4 episodes below and leave a comment about your experiences!

Show Schedule:

11/6: Super Metroid for SNES

11/20: At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft

12/4: Oxenfree (Cross-platform)

12/18: Riverdale Comics Vol. 1

Send game and book pairing suggestions or comments to [email protected].

Find us and send us a message @arcade_bookshop on Instagram.

In Episode 5 of Arcade Bookshop, Bryce has anxiety about copying all of Caleb's choices, but they both just have really great taste. They talk covering more contemporary games on the show, and they also spin a wheel to choose a random video game for a future episode!

Most importantly, the co-hosts discuss Final Fantasy IX, which is Bryce's favorite game of all time. Caleb dove into research on this game, but couldn't actually play it, so his overwhelm from the unbelievable storytelling of this game as Bryce provides detail is transparent throughout!

They talk intergalactic chicken-monsters, five whole minutes of jump-roping, characters dropped out of airplanes, and crazy planet-fusion. At the height of the discussion, they address themes of identity, family, sacrifice, loyalty, and mortality, diving into the development of several of the major characters in the game. 

Stay tuned for the next episode of Arcade Bookshop, when Bryce and Caleb are in love with Final Fantasy IX's literary counterpart, American Gods by Neil Gaiman, on Monday, 10/23.

Play and read along with the guys! See the show schedule for the next 5 episodes below and send them a letter about your experiences!

Show Schedule:

10/23: American Gods by Neil Gaiman

11/6: Super Metroid for SNES

11/20: At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft

12/4: Oxenfree (Cross-platform)

12/18: Riverdale Comics Vol. 1

Send game and book pairing suggestions or comments to [email protected].

Find us and send us a message @arcade_bookshop on Instagram.

In Episode 4 of Arcade Bookshop, Bryce and Caleb touch on running over baby mattresses and The Book Loft at the German Village in Columbus, Ohio, and eating the "goo" which was actually a delicious Ethiopian dinner.

In the main portion of the conversation, the co-hosts discuss Raymond Chandler's first published short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot," a classic case of noir crime fiction. Within the discussion they address getting paid for writing and delve a little bit into Raymond Chandler's background and lifestyle. 

These 1930s noir stories were written in such a formulaic manner to achieve a very specific style that could be duplicated quickly in order to fit perfectly into the old five cent pulp magazines like Black Mask, which "Blackmailers Don't Shoot" was published in. You'll notice common words and phrases between stories in the genre to describe the character's faces, clothes, their mannerisms, and the way they perceive their environment. At the end of the day, they talk about why these stories are important for the time and to experience modern day, but ultimately why they don't hold up well under a literary lens. 

Stay tuned for the next episode of Arcade Bookshop, when Bryce and Caleb try not to go overboard with their takes on Final Fantasy 9, arriving Monday, 10/9.

Bryce and Caleb think it would be fun if you played and read along with them. See the show schedule for the next 6 episodes below and send them a letter about your experiences!

Show Schedule:

10/9: Final Fantasy 9 for Playstation

10/23: American Gods by Neil Gaiman

11/6: Super Metroid for SNES

11/20: At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft

12/4: Oxenfree (Cross-platform)

12/18: Riverdale Comics Vol. 1

Send game and book pairing suggestions or comments to [email protected].

Find us and send us a message @arcade_bookshop on Instagram.