Page Chewing is where books, comics, and conversations collide. From in-depth chats with authors and artists to lively discussions with fellow readers, we explore the craft of storytelling, the worlds we love, and the ideas that stay with us long after the last page.
Our full-spoiler reread of R. Scott Bakker's The Warrior Prophet continues with Chapters 14–17, bringing us to the end of Part Two.
⚠️ FULL SERIES SPOILERS: This discussion contains spoilers for all seven books of The Second Apocalypse.
Welcome back to the Slog.
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In this episode of Beyond the Page, I’m joined by author and professional violinist Brigid Kennedy for an incredible conversation about family history, lost treasure, Irish roots, the Amazon, and the unusual experience that led her to become a novelist.
It’s a conversation about much more than writing a novel. It’s about preserving the stories that might otherwise disappear—and sometimes creating the ending your family never received.
Find Brigid: https://brigidkennedybooks.com/
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This week on Panel Chewing, Steve and Jarrod are back with another stack of new comics, some winners, some disappointments—and one comic carrying a whopping $15 price tag.
Join us for comic reviews, industry talk, our Picks of the Week, and another journey down the assassin's road.
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In Episode 22 of Beyond the Page, I sit down with author and fellow podcaster Michelle Miles to talk about fantasy romance, fairy-tale retellings, dark paranormal romance, worldbuilding, and the enduring appeal of the happily-ever-after.
Michelle has written more than 45 books across fantasy, paranormal romance, and fairy-tale retellings. We discuss how the recent rise of romantasy has brought fantasy romance back into the spotlight and why Michelle was drawn to combining magic, adventure, and worldbuilding with slow-burn romance long before the genre's current boom.
We also dig into her approach to worldbuilding as a discovery writer, including how she creates kingdoms and magic systems as the story develops, keeps track of established canon, and plants connections and Easter eggs across different books and series.
From there, our conversation turns to fairy tales and why these familiar stories continue to resonate. Michelle talks about deconstructing stories like Cinderella while preserving the elements readers recognize, and why themes of hope, love, fear, rejection, and adventure remain universal.
We also discuss morally gray characters, the popularity of darker paranormal romance, genre expectations, heat levels, author branding, newsletters, finding readers, and the realities of trying to build a career in an increasingly crowded publishing industry.
Whether you love romantasy, fairy tales, paranormal romance, or simply enjoy hearing how writers build their worlds, there's plenty to dig into in this conversation.
Find Michelle: https://michellemilesbooks.com/
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Our full-spoiler reread of R. Scott Bakker’s The Warrior Prophet continues with Chapters 9–13, as Kellhus’s influence over the Holy War begins to grow at an astonishing pace.
⚠️ Full-series spoilers: This discussion assumes you have finished The Second Apocalypse. Nothing is off limits.
Welcome back to the Slog.
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In Episode 21 of Beyond the Page, I sit down with author Guy Morris to discuss his new nonfiction book, The AI Tsunami, and the rapidly changing world of artificial intelligence.
It's a fascinating conversation about technology, power, creativity, risk, and what individuals can do as AI becomes an increasingly important part of everyday life.
Find Guy Morris: https://www.guymorrisbooks.com/
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Panel Chewing #144 talks Marvel vs. DC, reviews this week’s comics, reveals our Picks of the Week, and discusses Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 12.
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In Episode 20 of Beyond the Page, I’m joined by author Maxim Langstaff to discuss his novel SASQ’ET and the fascinating research that took him far beyond the popular image of Bigfoot.
It’s a wide-ranging conversation about storytelling, technology, nature, creativity, and the strange things that make us human.
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We've reached the end of our Carpentry in the Elven Forest by Alex French readalong!
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This week on the Page Chewing Weekly Update, I'm catching up on what I've been reading, what's happening across the podcasts, and what I'm getting ready to tackle next.
Question of the Week:
Do you start a fantasy series when it hasn't been completed yet, or do you wait until the entire series is finished?
Thanks for listening, and let me know what you're reading this week!
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Our Second Apocalypse reread continues as we begin The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker and it doesn't take long for the questions to start piling up.
And, because this is a reread, we inevitably end up asking questions that take us all the way to The Unholy Consult.
⚠️ FULL SERIES SPOILERS: This discussion assumes you have finished all seven books of The Second Apocalypse. Nothing is off limits.
Welcome back to the Slog.
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In this episode of Page Burners, we continue our journey through Steven Erikson’s The Bonehunters with a full-spoiler discussion of Chapters 17 and 18, as storylines from across the Malazan world begin to collide.
As always, this is a full-spoiler discussion for everything we've read so far in Malazan Book of the Fallen and the connected Ian C. Esslemont novels.
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In Episode 160 of the Friday Conversation, Steve is joined by Alex French and Layla Goushey for a wide ranging discussion about AI, creativity, technology, books, and the increasingly blurry line between science fiction and reality.
It's an open, unscripted conversation about AI, art, authors, readers, fandom, technology, and what storytelling might look like in the future with plenty of tangents along the way.
Find Layla: https://baladimagazine.com/
Find Alex French: https://www.thedeepdarkscave.com/
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In Episode 19 of Beyond the Page, I’m joined by historical romance author Paula Panariello to talk about writing love stories within the realities of the past, the research required to make historical fiction believable, and beginning an entirely new creative chapter after retirement.
Paula spent decades reading romance before deciding to try writing one herself. What began with a writing workshop and a very rough first manuscript eventually grew into something she never expected: a genuine love of writing.
We discuss the familiar tropes and expectations of romance, why predictability isn't necessarily a weakness, and the challenge of creating characters and historical circumstances compelling enough to make readers care about the journey even when they have an idea where it's heading.
Paula also takes us behind the research that goes into her fiction, including learning about deafness in Regency-era England and turning to her 100-year-old aunt for firsthand memories of life during World War II.
We also talk about self-publishing, marketing, writing as a hobby without allowing it to become another job, and the moment Paula finally stopped feeling like an impostor and realized she really was a writer.
Find Paula: https://paulapan.com/
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This week on Panel Chewing, Steve and Jarrod dig into another week of comics—but first, they take a look at the state of the comic book industry. Are more people actually buying comics? Why is DC's Absolute line dominating comic shops? And what happens to smaller indie titles when stores simply can't afford to keep them on the shelves?
Then it's time for the week's reviews, including Absolute Batman #23, Detective Comics #1111, Punisher #7, Conan the Barbarian #33, Shell Shock #1, The Dirt Beneath the Devil #1, and more. Jarrod also catches up with Rook: Exodus, a series that continues to impress with its worldbuilding and incredible artwork.
For Picks of the Week, Jarrod discovers an unexpected winner in Black Star #1, while Steve chooses Fire and Ice: Dark Wolf #2, a visually stunning fantasy adventure that may be light on story this issue but delivers where it counts with atmosphere, artwork, coloring, and lettering.
Finally, the Lone Wolf and Cub readalong continues with Volume 11. After the intensity of Volume 10, the story slows down for a more emotional and introspective collection that explores Ogami and Daigoro separately before bringing their paths together again. The discussion looks at Daigoro's growing empathy, the symbolism running throughout the volume, and why this decades-old manga continues to feel remarkably timeless.
Join us for comic reviews, industry talk, our Picks of the Week, and another journey down the assassin's road with Lone Wolf and Cub.
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In Episode 18 of Beyond the Page, I’m joined by author, artist, musician, and lifelong adventurer Dave Letterfly, author of Hit the Road and Thrive: Seven Secrets for Living the Dream.
Dave’s path has been anything but conventional. From joining a traveling circus at 16 and working as a drummer and performing horseman to becoming a sign painter, RV mural artist, and traveling pinstriper, Dave has built a life around creativity, curiosity, and a willingness to follow the road wherever it leads.
We talk about rediscovering the imagination and sense of adventure we often lose as we grow older, taking the scary first step toward something new, and learning to see failures and setbacks as detours rather than dead ends.
Dave also opens up about addiction, recovery, sobriety, and one of the hardest lessons he had to learn: sometimes changing your life begins with admitting you can't do everything alone.
It’s a conversation about creativity, recovery, reinvention, adventure, and having the courage to build a life that actually feels like your own.
Find Dave: https://letterfly.com/
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The quest is heating up as we continue our group read of Carpentry in the Elven Forest by Alex French, covering chapters 26–38.
This week, Jef, Amber, and Oggy attempt their heist for the Feather of Choosing with a plan that doesn't exactly go as expected. We also get a different perspective on the Rangers, learn more about what Amber may have to prove, and discover an unexpected benefit from the magical anklet she can't seem to get rid of.
Meanwhile, the Gentleman finally makes his move against the Deep Dark, raising even more questions about his master plan and just how much influence he has over Jeff. With Jeff and Amber growing closer, the jewelry box suddenly feels a little more complicated than it did before.
We also have trolls, goblins, an Indiana Jones style escape, Oggy's ongoing hatred of birds, and plenty of the humor that has made this such a fun change of pace.
With the Rangers in danger and everyone seemingly headed toward the same place, the stage is set for the finale.
Join me as we discuss chapters 26–38, share some theories about where everything is heading, and prepare to finish Carpentry in the Elven Forest next week.
What do you think the Gentleman is really planning and how much of Jef's journey has actually been his own choice?
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After missing last week's update, I'm back with plenty to catch up on!
This week I'm talking about my continued journey through The Bonehunters, why reading Malazan with a group has become almost essential for me, and the very different experience I've been having with the much lighter and funnier Carpentry in the Elven Forest. I'm also continuing Lone Wolf and Cub on Panel Chewing and our full-spoiler reread of The Warrior Prophet and The Second Apocalypse.
I'm also officially announcing my upcoming Blood Meridian readalong. Starting September 7, I'll be tackling Cormac McCarthy's novel one chapter at a time, with a new episode every day. Rather than simply recapping each chapter, I want to slow down, ask questions, track how my thoughts change throughout the novel, and hopefully bring in a guest at the end to help dig even deeper into the book.
There's plenty happening with Beyond the Page as well. I talk about some recent and upcoming conversations covering everything from Hollywood and science fiction to romance, Sasquatch, AI, creativity, and some incredible real-life stories.
And Friday Conversations is officially back! We recently recorded a new episode with Leila Gausi and Alex French discussing dystopian science fiction, AI, separating the art from the artist, and plenty more. I'm hoping to make these casual, free-flowing conversations a regular part of Page Chewing again.
I also talk about the new Page Chewing Patreon, revisiting The Hunger Games movies, why the ebook deals posts have ended, and why I'm more than ready for summer to be over.
Thanks for listening, reading along, and continuing to support Page Chewing!
This week:
The Bonehunters reading update
Carpentry in the Elven Forest
Lone Wolf and Cub
The Warrior Prophet full-spoiler reread
The upcoming Blood Meridian daily readalong
New and upcoming Beyond the Page interviews
The return of Friday Conversations
Page Chewing Patreon
Revisiting The Hunger Games
And more!
Question of the Week:
Have you read Blood Meridian? If you have, what did you think of it? If you haven't, would you join me for one chapter a day starting September 7?
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In this episode of Page Burners, we continue our journey through The Bonehunters with a full-spoiler discussion of Chapters 13–16, where gods fall, old conflicts return in new forms, and Steven Erikson keeps pushing the series deeper into questions of power, suffering, and whether humanity ever truly learns from its mistakes.
We spend a lot of time with Paran as he steps further into his role as Master of the Deck, and the increasingly complicated war among the gods. We also unpack what these chapters reveal, while debating whether such a major threat was resolved too quickly.
Elsewhere, Felisin Younger emerges at the center of a new incarnation of the Apocalypse, leading us into a discussion about Erikson's recurring use of the same ideas in changing forms and why the Apocalypse in Seven Cities never seems to truly disappear.
We also dig into Spite's bleak view of humanity, the cost of war, the idea that people continually fight one another instead of confronting the problems that actually threaten them, and how those themes connect back to philosophy.
Along the way, we talk Karsa, Mappo, Quick Ben, Shadowthrone, the increasingly tangled games being played by gods and mortals, and some surprisingly quiet, human moments buried beneath all the chaos.
As always, this is a full-spoiler discussion for everything we've covered so far in Malazan Book of the Fallen and the connected novels by Ian C. Esslemont.
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In this episode of Beyond the Page, I’m joined by Dr. Robert J. Wolf, author of Not a Real Enemy: The True Story of a Hungarian Jewish Man’s Fight for Freedom.
Robert shares the extraordinary story of his father, Ervin Wolf, a Hungarian Jewish man who survived forced labor during World War II, escaped multiple times, endured Nazi and Communist rule, and eventually fled Hungary following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.
We discuss Robert’s decision to transform his father’s autobiography into a biography, the emotional weight of researching his family’s history, and how learning the full extent of what his parents endured changed his own perspective on freedom and everyday life.
Robert also talks about the continuing importance of Holocaust education, combating antisemitism, and preserving these stories for future generations. And, as always on Beyond the Page, we eventually lighten things up with conversations about music, favorite albums, food, and Robert’s first job.
It’s a conversation about survival, resilience, family, history, and why stories like this cannot be allowed to disappear.
Find Rob: https://mybook.to/I3hEA5
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