UpperPen Podcast

Dakota VanLinden
  • 0.0 (0)
  • BOOKS
  • UPDATED DAILY

This podcast is focused on interviewing authors, narrators, and other creators in the book world. I love literature in all its forms and want to share that joy with you!

  1. The Vanishing Bookstore: Salem, Witches, and Mystery with Helen Phifer

    5 DAYS AGO

    The Vanishing Bookstore: Salem, Witches, and Mystery with Helen Phifer

    Author Helen Phifer joins UpperPen to discuss her upcoming novel The Vanishing Bookstore, exploring Salem, Massachusetts, witches and womanhood, mystery pacing, and the craft behind a powerful, violent opening.

    43 min
  2. Inside Akira Kurosawa’s Mind: Translating Long Take with Anne McKnight

    31 JAN

    Inside Akira Kurosawa’s Mind: Translating Long Take with Anne McKnight

    Translator Anne McKnight joins UpperPen to discuss Long Take, a collection of interviews and writings from Akira Kurosawa. We explore Kurosawa’s films, his childhood influences, the challenges of translation, and his work as a wartime propagandist filmmaker.

    1h 8m
  3. From Book One to Book Two: Raising the Stakes in The Breaking Annwn

    9 JAN

    From Book One to Book Two: Raising the Stakes in The Breaking Annwn

    Author The Longwinded One and narrator Chris Tucci discuss The Breaking Annwn (Book 2 of The Four Treasures Saga), exploring tonal shifts in LitRPG series, writing with friends, and producing a multi-narrator audiobook. In this episode, author The Longwinded One and narrator Chris Tucci talk about the evolution of The Four Treasures Saga, focusing on The Breaking Annwn, a darker, more serious second installment in the series.

    56 min
  4. The Werewolf of Whitechapel: History, Murder, and Myth with author Suzannah Rowntree

    5 JAN

    The Werewolf of Whitechapel: History, Murder, and Myth with author Suzannah Rowntree

    Author Suzannah Rowntree joins UpperPen to discuss The Werewolf of Whitechapel. In this episode, Rowntree talks about her novel The Werewolf of Whitechapel, a dark reimagining of Victorian England that blends history, horror, and social critique. We also discuss how historical fiction can interrogate injustice, why monsters often represent systems of power, and how the past continues to haunt the present.Whether you’re a reader of historical fiction, gothic horror, or a writer interested in using real history as narrative fuel, this conversation offers insight into how fiction can reveal deeper truths.Suzannah Rowntree is the author of The Werewolf of Whitechapel, book 1 of Miss Sharp's Monsters, historical horror that reimagines Victorian England through the lens of werewolves, gender, and power. https://suzannahrowntree.weebly.com/gaslampfantasy.htmlYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UpperPenPodcast UpperPen.com New episodes Fridays at 11 AM ESTSubscribe for conversations on craft, publishing, and books.

    40 min
  5. Inside Mothra: Translating The Luminous Fairies with Jeffrey Angles

    12/12/2025

    Inside Mothra: Translating The Luminous Fairies with Jeffrey Angles

    In this episode, acclaimed translator, poet, and scholar Jeffrey Angles takes us inside his translation of The Luminous Fairies and Mothra by Shin’ichirō Nakamura, Takehiko Fukunaga, and Yoshie Hotta, offering deep insight into the origins of the film, the cultural landscape of Japan in the early 1960s, and the complexities of bringing Japanese prose into English. Whether you're a fan of kaiju films, Japanese literature, translation craft, or cultural history, this is a rare look at the story that helped define one of Japan’s most iconic movie monsters. #Mothra #Kaiju #JapaneseLiterature #BookTranslation #JeffreyAngles #TheLuminousFairiesAndMothra #JapaneseHistory #Translation Watch the interview on YouTube

    49 min
  6. What are editors looking for?!

    14/11/2025

    What are editors looking for?!

    Editor R.B. Wood of Ruadán Books joins UpperPen to discuss how to submit your fiction, what kinds of stories editors are looking for, how to stand out from the slush pile, and how writers can explore cities—and themselves—through storytelling.

    46 min
  7. Inside The Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy 2025 with John Joseph Adams

    07/11/2025

    Inside The Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy 2025 with John Joseph Adams

    Editor John Joseph Adams joins UpperPen to discuss curating The Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy 2025 anthology, how stories make it through the slush pile, and what editors really look for in great speculative fiction. Welcome to UpperPen, where we explore the craft of writing, editing, and publishing. In this conversation, John Joseph Adams—award-winning editor, publisher, and series editor for The Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy—pulls back the curtain on how anthologies come together, what he likes in a short story, and the evolving world of science fiction and fantasy publishing. Whether you’re a reader, writer, or editor, this episode is packed with insight into the creative and editorial process behind some of today’s best science fiction and fantasy. You can find John at JohnJosephAdams.com. About John Joseph Adams:John Joseph Adams is the editor of numerous acclaimed anthologies and the series editor of The Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy, published annually by Mariner Books. His work has been a finalist for the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards, and he is known for championing emerging voices in speculative fiction.Find me at: UpperPen.comNew episodes Fridays at 11 AM ESTSubscribe for more conversations on writing, editing, and the publishing world.#WritingCommunity #ScienceFiction #FantasyBooks #Publishing #UpperPen #JohnJosephAdams #BestAmericanScienceFictionAndFantasy #SpeculativeFiction #BookEditing #WritersLife #Podcast #AuthorInterview

    57 min
  8. Interview with Brooke Fast author of To Cage a Wild Bird

    24/10/2025

    Interview with Brooke Fast author of To Cage a Wild Bird

    In the city of Dividium, the law is simple: commit a crime, and your punishment is a life sentence in Endlock. Raven Thorne is Dividium’s most notorious bounty hunter, living on the edge of society. But when her younger brother, Jed, is sentenced to Endlock, Raven will do anything to save him—even if it means getting herself arrested. Now trapped in a prison where danger lurks around every corner, Raven must use all her cunning and strength to protect Jed—and herself if she is to complete her perilous mission. But there’s one obstacle she never expected: the prison guard who stirs something deep inside her. The man she should hate. The man whose true motives seem impossible to pin down. In a world where trust is a weapon and love is a liability, Raven must decide if she will risk everything to tear down a vicious system. Brooke has a wonderful love of dystopian literature and you can feel those influences in To Cage a Wild Bird. Don't be mistake though, this is not a copy and paste kind of book!

    43 min
See All (67)

About

This podcast is focused on interviewing authors, narrators, and other creators in the book world. I love literature in all its forms and want to share that joy with you!

Information

  • Creator
    Dakota VanLinden
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dakota VanLinden
  • Show Website
    UpperPen Podcast