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 discuss one of the series' most debated questions: did Richard secretly save Leo's life? As a special surprise, narrator Jeremy Frazier joins the conversation to talk about bringing Richard's unforgettable voice to life, recording a dual-narrator production, and how regional character backgrounds influenced his performance. If you're a fan of dungeon crawls, lovable slugs, mysterious Systems, and behind-the-scenes audiobook insights, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

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. Luke also shared some early hints about the themes and magic systems behind his upcoming series, while Neil offered a fascinating look at the challenges of bringing characters like Sylvas and Mira to life in Starbreaker. Whether you're a longtime Ascend Online fan or curious about what's next from one of the genre's most influential authors, this episode was packed with behind-the-scenes insights and plenty of spoilers.

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 characters, cities, and story structure after lessons learned from Royal Road serialization. We also get into co-author collaboration with Cassius Lange, the future of the Calamity Arc, and the differences between writing chaotic comedic moments and building a cohesive narrative readers can invest in for the long haul.

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 mechanics, multiverse theories, and behind-the-scenes LitRPG discussion, this episode has a lot to unpack.

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 LitRPG has managed to preserve as it exploded into the mainstream, and whether the massive growth of Audible has changed the way stories are written and paced. The discussion also dives into Harmon’s upcoming LitRPG, I Can’t Believe I Have to Defeat the Demon Lord to Pay Off My Student Loans, including the absolutely ridiculous inspiration behind the title and premise, along with a look at his upcoming collaboration with Luke Chmilenko. If you’ve ever wondered how much the genre has changed, how audio has transformed storytelling, or what happens when experienced creators stop pretending they have every answer planned out in advance, this is a great conversation to jump into.

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 idea evolved into such a core part of the story. Haylock shares his thoughts on letting the animal companions completely run wild in scenes, often stealing the spotlight in the best ways, and talks about his approach to keeping the magic system intentionally loose so it doesn’t box in the story.

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 like Michaelangelant helped the colony evolve from a hive into a full cast with personality. We also get into Travelling Tolly and the sense that there’s always more happening off-screen in the world than we see. We even touch briefly on Book of the Dead, contrasting its darker system-driven storytelling with the humor and progression of Chrysalis, making this a must-listen for LitRPG fans who want a behind-the-scenes look at both the writing and performance sides of the series.

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 also get into the core concept behind Lewd Dungeon and whether the dungeon core start was always the plan, and wrap with Reborn as the First Boss, focusing on the goblin sections and how item and ability design had to be adjusted to keep fights from becoming trivial.

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 day. The discussion dives into the debates that never seem to die, the trends defining today’s readers, and the surprising reasons LitRPG communities stay so active and engaged compared to other genres. Most importantly, they tackle the big question: can LitRPG hold onto its tight-knit, grassroots identity as it continues to explode in popularity, or is that sense of community something that inevitably changes as the genre grows?

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 Michael thinks the series might ultimately run as Book 4 releases May 4th. We also get into Ten Realms ahead of Book 1 hitting bookstores and the May 18 book tour, including the lingering fan curiosity around Kun Lun’s granddaughter and one of those smaller healing-related threads readers still remember. And for Emerilia, Michael shares how Dave was originally just supposed to be the guy who wanted to build a home, drink beer, and have a good time, before the series expanded into something much bigger, plus how he decided where to draw the line so it wouldn’t lose the fantasy, party-based feel that made readers fall in love with it in the first place.