Page Chewing

In this episode of Page Burners, we continue our journey through The Bonehunters with a full discussion of Chapters 8–10, where Steven Erikson expands the series' mythology while setting major events into motion.

This week we dive into Paran's evolving role as Master of the Deck and explore what these chapters reveal about ascendants, gods, and the nature of power in the Malazan world. We also examine one of the novel's most f...

What does it take to build an epic fantasy world that feels real?

On this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve sits down with fantasy author Robert Riley, whose debut novel Blood of Tomorrow launches a sweeping new series years in the making.

Robert discusses creating believable worlds without overwhelming readers, why history and leadership shape every aspect of his storytelling, and how his career leading businesses around the world i...

In this episode, Steve sits down with Richard Spegal, author of the Eternal Knights series, to discuss writing mature dark fantasy, creating believable characters, and why the best stories are driven by people, not plot.

Richard shares how his military service, personal experiences, and lifelong love of speculative fiction have shaped his writing. Rather than following familiar genre formulas, he strives to create stories that unfol...

This week on Panel Chewing, we kick things off by discussing one of the biggest stories in comics: Marvel Comics' decision to relocate its publishing division from New York to Burbank, California. Is this simply a cost-cutting move, or does it signal a major shift in the future of comic publishing? We share our thoughts on what it could mean for creators, comic shops, and the industry as a whole.

Then it's time for another week of c...

In this episode, Steve sits down with Fernando Alessandri, author, psychologist, filmmaker, comedian, and creative thinker whose work blends humor with surprising insight into human nature.

The conversation begins with Fernando's novel Agent Bigglesby: Not Dead Yet, a comedy imagining what happens when an aging super spy refuses to retire, but quickly expands into an engaging discussion about creativity, screenwriting, mental health...

This week on the Weekly Update, I share some exciting milestones for Page Chewing. The podcast has officially reached Captivate's monetization threshold, memberships are now available, and I've been booked with author interviews all the way into October.

I also talk about why I'm restarting Carpentry and the Elven Forest, the next stage of our The Second Apocalypse spoiler-filled reread, upcoming Panel Chewing episodes, and my plans...

The spoiler-filled reread of The Second Apocalypse continues as we tackle Part II: The Emperor from The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker.

This section shifts the focus from Achamian to the political chaos surrounding Emperor Xerius III, introducing one of fantasy's most entertainingly paranoid rulers while laying even more pieces on Bakker's enormous chessboard. On a reread, it's remarkable how much is happening beneath...

Welcome back to Beyond the Page, the Page Chewing interview series where we explore the stories behind the storytellers.

In this episode, Steve sits down with horror author Alex Grass, whose latest collection, Infernal Tramps: Tales of Weird Terror, embraces cosmic horror, body horror, and the wonderfully strange corners of speculative fiction.

The conversation begins with horror but quickly expands into a thoughtful discussion about...

Welcome back to Beyond the Page, the Page Chewing interview series where we go beyond the stories and explore the people who create them.

In this episode, Steve sits down with John David, author of the award winning thriller

In this episode, Steve sits down with Angela Page, author, playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker, and president of the South Florida chapter of the Women's National Book Association.

Angela shares the remarkable true story that inspired her latest novel, Enrico G., based on her great-grandfather's extraordinary life in Italy and New York during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The conversation explores the challenges of transfo...

Warning: This discussion contains major spoilers for all seven books of The Second Apocalypse, including events from The Unholy Consult. If this is your first journey through the series, we strongly recommend reading the novels before listening.

In this episode, Sean and I dive into Part I: The Sorcerer, revisiting the opening chapters with the benefit of knowing where the story ultimately leads. What once seemed like simple worldbu...

In this episode of Page Burners, we tackle one of the most celebrated chapters in The Bonehunters, Chapter 7, and explore why so many readers consider it one of Steven Erikson's finest achievements.

Our discussion dives into the h...

In the second episode of Beyond the Page, Steve sits down with author Jared Maxwell to discuss his crime noir novel, Code of Vengeance, and the real-world experiences that helped shape its story.

Drawing from a career in the military and law enforcement, Jared shares how those experiences influenced his writing while explaining why he believes the best stories are built on complex characters rather than simple heroes and villains.

To...

This week on Panel Chewing, Steve and Jarrod review another stack of new comics, discussing standout releases, surprising disappointments, and the books that earned a spot on this week's Pick of the Week.

The conversation includes thoughts on Absolute Martian Manhunter, Absolute Superman, The Hab, Powers 25, Odin, Ezra Cain: Mysteries of the Peril Brutal Dark, American Caper, The Punisher, and more.

In the second half of the episode...

Welcome to the very first episode of Beyond the Page, the Page Chewing interview series where we sit down with authors, creators, and storytellers to explore the ideas and passions behind their work.

For our inaugural episode, Steve is joined by fantasy author T.J. Cooper, author of A Shadows Vendetta: A Bond of Silver Book One.

Together they discuss:

• Writing classic epic fantasy in today's publishing landscape
• The inspiration behi...

This week on the Page Chewing Weekly Update, I share what I've been reading, what I've been watching, and what's happening behind the scenes at the podcast.

We talk about our ongoing reread of The Darkness That Comes Before, why revisiting The Second Apocalypse has been more challenging than I expected, and why I've learned to embrace reading at my own pace instead of racing through books. I also share an update on our postponed Mal...

In this spoiler-filled reread episode, we return to the prologue of The Darkness That Comes Before and discover just how much of The Second Apocalypse is hidden in plain sight. We unpack the founding of the Dûnyain, Kellhus's first steps beyond Ishuäl, the mystery of Moënghus, the shadow of the First Apocalypse, and the early hints of the Consult, the No-God, and the Nonmen. Along the way we debate whether Kellhus is already the vi...

Apologies for the muddled audio in this episode, hardware issue.

This week on Panel Chewing, Steve and Jarrod work through a mixed stack of new comics, from standout indie releases to a few disappointing superhero books. Along the way they discuss Absolute Superman, Absolute Green Arrow, Tarzan Beyond, King Spawn, Firestorm, Gru: The Prophecy, American Caper (Pick of the Week), Astral Quantum, The Eye Collector, and more, sharing wh...

This week on the Page Chewing Weekly Update, I share one of my biggest surprises of the year as The Bonehunters delivers what may be my favorite chapter in the series so far, without diving into spoilers. I also talk about revisiting The Darkness That Comes Before, why rereading continues to reveal new layers, and my thoughts on Lone Wolf and Cub and Carpentry in the Elven Forest.

Beyond the books, I reveal some exciting changes co...