About this podcast
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.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 836 episodes
- BookTok, Dark Romance, and the State of Publishing | Friday Conversation · 1 h 18 minAre bestselling fantasy authors helping the publishing industry grow, or are they making it harder for smaller authors to break through? On this episode of Friday Conversation…
- Beyond the Shock Value: Ranking My Top 5 Crossed Stories · 12 minCrossed has earned its reputation as one of the most disturbing horror comic franchises ever published. But is there more to these stories than extreme violence and shocking…
- Superman: The Stranger, Solomon Kane & Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 23 | Panel Chewing #155 · 1 h 0 minIs joining a major publisher the best path forward for independent comic creators, or does it mean giving up some of the creative freedom that makes indie comics special? This…
- Beyond the Page: Cambodian Mythology, Forgotten History & Fantasy with Som Phin · 38 minWhat happens when ancient mythology, forgotten history, and personal experience come together through fantasy? In this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve welcomes independent…
- 10 Underrated Fantasy Books That Deserve More Attention (Plus a Bonus Pick) · 15 minSome of the best fantasy books are the ones that don't get nearly enough attention. In this episode of Page Chewing, I'm sharing 10 underrated fantasy books, plus a bonus…
- Weekly Update: Romantasy's Rise, Gene Wolfe & Returning to Grimdark · 12 minIs the explosive popularity of romantasy helping fantasy as a whole, or are publishers focusing too heavily on a handful of bestselling authors? This week, I discuss Sarah J…
- The Illusion of Free Will | The Thousandfold Thought Chapters 13–15 · 54 minThe Slog continues with Chapters 13–15 of R. Scott Bakker's The Thousandfold Thought! Steve, Shawn, and Shobz return to Eärwa as the Holy War reaches Shimeh and Kellhus finally…
- Can We Trust Severian? | The Shadow of the Torturer (Shadow & Claw) Read-Along, Episode 1 · 16 minWe're beginning our November read-along of Gene Wolfe's Shadow & Claw with Chapters 1–16 of The Shadow of the Torturer. In this first installment, we explore Severian's…
- Panel Chewing #154: A Rough Week for Comics, Conan, The Eye Collector & Lone Wolf and Cub · 45 minIt was a rough week for comics! Some promising series failed to deliver, a few books are getting dropped from the pull list, and we're left wondering how long you should stick…
- Beyond the Page: Writing Compelling Villains & Dark Fantasy with Robert A. Walker · 40 minWhy do we sometimes find ourselves rooting for the villains in fantasy stories? In this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve welcomes award-winning fantasy author Robert A. Walker…
- Weekly Update: Are Publishers Playing It Safe? Reading Goals, Gene Wolfe & Used Bookstores · 24 minAre publishers taking enough chances on challenging and unconventional books? Or are readers becoming too comfortable with familiar stories? This week on Page Chewing, I explore…
- The Price of Salvation | The Thousandfold Thought Chapters 9–12 · 1 h 2 minThe Slog continues with Chapters 9–12 of R. Scott Bakker's The Thousandfold Thought! Steve, Shawn, and Shobz return to Eärwa to discuss Kellhus's increasingly ruthless decisions…
- Stephen King's Original Pet Sematary: Lost Endings & Manuscript Secrets with Caroline Bicks · 54 minWhat if Stephen King's Pet Sematary had ended completely differently? For this special Halloween episode of Page Chewing, I'm joined by Caroline Bicks, author of Monsters in the…
- Pet Sematary: Stephen King's Bleakest Horror? | Read-Along Finale · 10 minWe've reached the conclusion of Stephen King's Pet Sematary! After spending October reading the novel for the first time, I'm sharing my reactions to the ending, revisiting my…
- Beyond the Page: What Crime Novels Get Wrong About Police Work with R. L. Carpentier III · 51 minWhat do crime novels get wrong about real police work? In this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve welcomes author and law enforcement professional R. L. Carpentier III to discuss…
- The Karman Blade Surprises Us & Marvel's Digital Future | Panel Chewing #153 · 59 minA dark fantasy comic surprises both of us, Marvel makes changes to its digital comics strategy, and we finally have a week without trombones! This week on Panel Chewing, Steve…
- Pet Sematary Read-Along #12: A Descent Into Darkness (Chapters 55–57) · 7 minWe're nearing the conclusion of Stephen King's Pet Sematary, and the atmosphere is becoming increasingly terrifying. In Chapters 55–57, the supernatural elements surrounding the…
- Beyond the Page: Is Social Media Failing Authors? Publishing, AI & Book Marketing with Jodi Cowles · 54 mins social media actually helping authors sell books, or is it taking valuable time away from writing? In this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve welcomes author, entrepreneur, and…
- My Top 10 Horror Comics & Manga of All Time · 16 minWhat are the best horror comics and manga I've ever read? In this episode of Page Chewing, I'm counting down my personal top 10 horror comics and manga, featuring everything from…
- Pet Sematary Read-Along #11: Grief Beyond Reason (Chapters 51–54) · 9 minThe Pet Sematary read-along continues with Chapters 51–54, and Stephen King takes us through one of the most heartbreaking sequences of the novel. Louis Creed's determination to…
- Is Worldbuilding Overrated? Horror vs. Fantasy & Pet Sematary · 15 minIs fantasy becoming too complicated? Are enormous series and excessive worldbuilding discouraging readers? And why is horror experiencing such strong sales compared with fantasy?…
- The Thousandfold Thought Chapters 5–8: The Illusion of Control · 59 minThe Slog continues! We're back with Chapters 5–8 of R. Scott Bakker's The Thousandfold Thought, the final installment of The Prince of Nothing trilogy. This week, Steve, Shobz…
- Pet Sematary Read-Along #10: The Point of No Return (Chapters 46–50) · 8 minThe tension continues to build in Stephen King's Pet Sematary as Louis Creed moves closer to making a decision that could change everything. In Chapters 46–50, we follow Louis's…
- Pet Sematary Read-Along #9 | Chapters 41–45: How Far Will Grief Take Him? · 8 minGrief is pushing Louis Creed toward a decision that could change everything. In Chapters 41–45 of Stephen King's Pet Sematary, Louis sends Rachel and Ellie to Chicago while…
- One Superman Comic Disappoints, Another Delivers | Panel Chewing #152 · 1 h 2 minThis week on Panel Chewing #152, we're talking about disappointing comics, surprising discoveries, Halloween horror, and two outstanding Picks of the Week. We open with a…
- Weekly Update: Shadow & Claw, Stephen King, Disturbing Fiction & BookTok · 12 minAfter a few days of battling a cold, I'm back with another Page Chewing weekly update! This week I'm announcing our November featured read-along: Shadow & Claw by Gene Wolfe…
- Beyond the Page: Why We Root for Villains with Danno E. Cabeza · 54 minIn this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve welcomes author, Army veteran, and podcast host Danno E. Cabeza to discuss his upcoming novel, The Return of Doctor Necropolis, a…
- Pet Sematary Read-Along #8 | Chapters 36–40: A Family's Worst Nightmare · 10 minEverything changes in Chapters 36–40 of Stephen King's Pet Sematary. We've reached Part Two, and the story takes a devastating turn that I absolutely did not see coming. After…
- The Thousandfold Thought Chapters 1–4: Conviction Is Not Truth · 54 minThe Slog continues as our full-series reread enters the final book of The Prince of Nothing trilogy: R. Scott Bakker’s The Thousandfold Thought. This week we're discussing…
- Pet Sematary Read-Along #7 | Chapters 31–35: Death, Grief & Dark Secrets · 11 minWe've reached the end of Part One of Stephen King's Pet Sematary, and Chapters 31–35 bring some of the most emotionally difficult moments of the read-along so far. Norma's death…
- Pet Sematary Read-Along #5 | Chapters 21–25: Church Isn't the Same · 8 minSomething is very wrong with Church. In Chapters 21–25 of Stephen King's Pet Sematary, the mystery surrounding the burial ground deepens as Church returns from the dead—but…
- Beyond the Page: From Dragons to Fighter Jets — Building a Multiverse with Terrence Rotering · 51 minWhat happens when a simple fantasy story written for your children grows into an interconnected multiverse spanning thousands of years? In this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve…
- Some Comics Just Keep Pulling Us Back In | Panel Chewing #151 · 1 h 11 minThis week on Panel Chewing #151, Steve and Jarrod kick things off with a conversation about the rising value of Green Lantern #87, the Lanterns television series, and the…
- Pet Sematary Read-Along #5: Chapters 21–25 Church Isn't the Same · 8 minIn Chapters 21–25 of Stephen King's Pet Sematary, the mystery surrounding the burial ground deepens as Church returns from the dead, but something about him has changed. This…
- Pet Sematary Read-Along #4 | Chapters 16–20: A Terrifying Warning · 7 minThe Pet Sematary read-along continues with Chapters 16–20, and things are becoming increasingly unsettling. Victor Pascow returns with a terrifying warning for Louis Creed…
- The Books I'm Reading (and Struggling With) | Weekly Update · 13 minIt's another weekly update from Page Chewing! This week I'm checking in on my progress through The Bonehunters, discussing the challenges of reading Malazan, and sharing why…
- The Bonehunters Ch. 22 Finale | The Empire Turns · 1 h 39 minAfter months of reading, Page Burners dives into Chapter 22 and an explosive finale that brings storylines stretching across the Malazan series crashing together in Malaz City…
- Pet Sematary Read-Along #3 | Chapters 11–15: The Nightmare Begins · 8 minThe Pet Sematary read-along continues with Chapters 11–15, and it feels like we've reached the moment when Stephen King's nightmare truly begins. This is a relatively short…
- Can You Read Too Much Fantasy? | Friday Conversation · 1 h 5 minThis week on the Friday Conversation, I'm joined by Jose from Fantasy Talks Live and author Alex French for an open discussion about genre burnout and whether fantasy is…
- Beyond the Page: Turning History Into Poetry with Andrea W. LeDew · 51 minIn this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve sits down with poet and author Andrea W. LeDew to discuss Polemics, a collection that grew from years of blogging, poetry, essays, and…
- Pet Sematary Read-Along #2 | Chapters 6–10: Something Isn’t Right in Ludlow · 9 minThe Pet Sematary read-along continues with Chapters 6–10, and Stephen King is already turning our attention toward one unavoidable subject: death. This time I'm looking at the…
- 150 Episodes of Comics, Trombones & Picks of the Week | Panel Chewing #150 · 1 h 14 minPanel Chewing has officially reached 150 episodes! We kick off this milestone episode with a question for comic collectors and readers: does the physical format of a comic…
- My Top 10 Grimdark & Dark Fantasy Books · 16 minWhat are my favorite grimdark and dark fantasy books? This isn't quite the usual list. I'm counting down ten of the books and series that have stuck with me the most—from…
- Beyond the Page: Reclaiming Your Life After Emotional Abuse with Eva Levina · 58 minIn this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve talks with Eva Levina, author of the two book Death Is No Reason to Stop Living series, about her experience in a 25-year marriage that…
- Pet Sematary Read-Along #1 | Chapters 1–5: Something Feels Off · 9 minThe Pet Sematary Read-Along begins! For the first episode, I'm discussing Stephen King's introduction and Chapters 1–5 as the Creed family settles into their new home and Louis…
- Blood Meridian Is Over… Now It’s Time for Pet Sematary | Weekly Update · 21 minThis week on Page Chewing, I’m wrapping up my September Blood Meridian read-along and looking ahead to October’s journey through Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. I talk about how…
- You Don’t Read Comics? Here Are 10 Great Places to Start · 15 minThink comic books are all superheroes, capes, and decades of confusing continuity? There’s a lot more to the medium than that. In this episode, Steve shares 10 comics he’d…
- Understanding Blood Meridian with Steven Frye | Judge Holden, the Kid & What It All Means · 1 h 8 minAfter 23 chapters, the Blood Meridian read-along is complete—but the questions certainly aren't. For this special concluding conversation, I'm joined by Steven Frye, author of…
- Our REAL Pick of the Week Wasn't a New Comic | Panel Chewing #149 · 45 minWe start with Jarrod's thoughts on Supergirl, which leads us into a larger conversation about superhero movies, shorter theatrical windows, interconnected universes, and whether…
- Blood Meridian Chapter 23 | The Dance Never Ends · 18 minWe've reached the end of Blood Meridian. Chapter 23 brings the kid, now the man, face-to-face with Judge Holden one final time, and suddenly so many things we've been tracking…
