Dice in Mind

Five years into the podcast, this is the first time one of our episodes has released on May the 4th. We are departing from our typical interview schedule to take this opportunity to chat about what Star Wars has meant and continues to mean to both of us as to our generation. MTFBWY. Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Jay Sojdelius is a founder and game designer, writer, illustrator, and graphic designer at The Yellow Hand, a creative collective that concerns itself with the independent conceptualization, development, and publishing of hobby gaming products, aiming to become a thriving game publishing business of quality and distinction. Please check out these relevant links: Simulacrum Kickstarter Simulacrum Free Quickstart The Yellow Hand Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

It's the annual State of the Dice! Join us as we review the first five years of Dice in Mind and share our plans for the coming years. Happy five-year anniversary! Where will we go in 2026/2027? 1. Writing 2. Attending a Con 3. Playing RPGs Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Tom and Cathy Thrush are the founders of Urban Realms. D&D is a huge part of their lives. It’s the way they stay in touch with friends, an escape from everyday life, and a creative outlet. It’s something they’ve been doing together since before their marriage in May of 2003. So, it was no surprise that they wanted to share some of their best ideas with the rest of the D&D community. But as their list of ideas for projects grew, they realized they couldn’t do it all themselves. So they enlisted their good friend, Daryen O’Dell to help. Now the three of them do their best to stay in touch with the amazing people they’ve met through Urban Realms and bring more passion projects to life. Please check out these relevant links: Date Night Dungeons Date Night Dungeons (Amazon) Urban Realms Lady Blade (Amazon) Libram of Lists (Kickstarter Video) Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Jonah and Tristan Fishel are the authors of The Game Master's Handbook of Proactive Roleplaying and The Game Master's Handbook of Collaborative Campaign Design. Jonah Fishel has been playing TTRPGs for nearly twenty years, and has game mastered far more than his fair share of campaigns. Away from the gaming table, Jonah is a learning differences tutor. He lives in Charlottesville, VA with his wife, daughter, and dog. For some reason, Jonah has a degree in Storytelling. Tristan Fishel is an author and RPG writer living in Newport News, Virginia. Tristan has written several adventures, rules expansions, and other content for both 5e and a few of his other favored systems. In his spare time, Tristan enjoys running home games for his friends, writing fiction, and serving as a devoted caretaker to his beloved cat, Cupcake. Please check out these relevant links: The Game Master's Handbook of Proactive Roleplaying The Game Master's Handbook of Collaborative Campaign Design Game Master's Laboratory Media Lab Books Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Raised in the mild climate of Northern California, Christopher Griffen's steady diet of Marvel comic books, Star Wars, Dungeons & Dragons, and all the sci-fi he could read turned him into the man-child that he is today. Now a writer of both role-playing games – Traveller, from Mongoose Publishing is his game of choice – and comics from Markosia Publishing, he is living the dream, collaborating with some of the best in the business to create narratives for all to enjoy. Please check out these relevant links: Pioneer RPG Christopher Griffen on DriveThruRPG Christopher Griffen on Amazon Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Robert M. Hazen is Senior Staff Scientist at the Carnegie Institution’s Geophysical Laboratory and Clarence Robinson Professor of Earth Sciences at George Mason University. He received the BS and SM in geology at the MIT, the PhD at Harvard University in Earth science, and was NATO Postdoctoral Fellow at Cambridge University. Michael Wong is an astrobiologist and planetary scientist whose primary scientific interests are planetary atmospheres, habitability, biosignatures, and the emergence of life. He is co-authoring a revised edition of the textbook Astrobiology: A Multidisciplinary Approach. He also hosts a podcast that examines science, technology, and culture through the lens of Star Trek. He is working with Staff Scientist Bob Hazen to assess the network topologies of exoplanet atmospheres for potential biosignatures. Please check out these relevant links: Dr. Robert Hazen (Carnegie Science) Dr. Robert Hazen (George Mason University) Dr. Michael Wong (Carnegie Science) Dr. Michael Wong (Website) Time's Second Arrow: Evolution, Order, and a New Law of Nature Strange New Worlds: A Science & Star Trek Podcast Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Matt Forbeck is an award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author and game designer with over thirty-five novels and countless games published to date. His projects have won a Peabody Award, a Scribe Award, and numerous ENnies and Origins Awards. He is also the president of the Diana Jones Award Foundation, which celebrates excellence in gaming. His latest work includes the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game, Hard West 2, Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus, Minecraft Legends: Return of the Piglins, and the Shotguns & Sorcery 5E Sourcebook based on his novels. He is the father of five, including a set of quadruplets. Please check out these relevant links: Matt Forbeck (website) Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game: Core Rulebook Shotguns and Sorcery: The 5E Sourcebook Star Trek Adventures Second Edition: Species Sourcebook Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

And now for something completely different... Welcome to our first and only actual play episode! Join us as we embark on a homebrewed session of Star Trek Adventures titled "Ethics of the Fathers". Please check out this relevant link: Star Trek Adventures Second Edition Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Keith Ammann is an ENNIE Award–winning writer based in Chicago. He’s the author of several books of advice for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons players, including The Monsters Know What They’re Doing: Combat Tactics for Dungeon Masters, MOAR! Monsters Know What They’re Doing, How to Defend Your Lair, and most recently Making Enemies: Monster Design Inspiration for Tabletop Roleplaying Games, as well as the blog The Monsters Know What They’re Doing. He’s been a role-playing gamer and game master for more than thirty years. He likes to play outwardly abrasive helpers, out-of-their-element helpers, and genuinely nice, helpful helpers. Mostly, though, he plays non-player characters. And monsters. Please check out these relevant links: Making Enemies: Monster Design Inspiration for Tabletop Roleplaying Games Spy & Owl The Monsters Know What They're Doing (blog) Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Ben Robbins has spent most of his life elbow-deep in role-playing games. He created Microscope, Kingdom, and In This World, writes the ars ludi blog, and spent years running Story Games Seattle to bring total strangers together at the table. He's working on his new game, Rules of Law, as soon as he finishes writing this bio. Please check out these relevant links: Lame Mage Productions Microscope RPG Pioneer RPG Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

W.M. Akers is a novelist, playwright, editor, game designer, copywriter and, well, just about any other kind of writer you might require. He is the author of Westside, Westside Saints and Westside Lights, the creator of Deadball: Baseball With Dice and Comrades: A Revolution RPG, and too many plays to mention here. He is also responsible for Strange Times, a weekly newsletter that investigates the weirdest news 1921 has to offer, and Strange Pulp, an irregular journal of weird fiction. Please check out these relevant links: Website Deadball: Baseball with Dice Letters to the Stars Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Dr. Jason von Stietz is a licensed psychologist and cognitive behavior therapist who specializes in the treatment of people with OCD, Panic, Insomnia, and Sport/Performance related issues. Please check out these relevant links: Dr. Jason von Stietz (website) Movie House Sports Psychology (podcast) The Mentally Fit Athlete (podcast) Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Aaron Pollyea has a background in astronomy and physics, but currently has a day job dealing with climate change and its intersection with agriculture. He has been a life-long Star Trek fan, and has been working as a freelance writer for Star Trek Adventures since it began. In his free time, Aaron may be found gazing through his telescope, reading a good book, or doing historical reenacting with his wife. Al Spader is a middle school science teacher, father of five-year-old twin boys, and a freelance RPG writer and game designer. As a regular writer for Star Trek Adventures and lead designer of the Sentience 2d20 RPG, Al brings his knowledge of neurodivergence and social-emotional learning to the TTRPG community. Please check out these relevant links: REDACTED! Core Rulebook (coming soon!) Saucer Squadron Core Rulebook Pioneer RPG Kickstarter Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Dr. Aaron Peterson comes to Converse University from the North Star State of Minnesota. He holds an EdD in Educational Leadership with a focus on higher education administration from Minnesota State University, Mankato, an M.S. in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution from Creighton University’s School of Law and a B.S. in a double major of Communication Studies and Aviation Operations from St. Cloud State University. Dr. Peterson is the Director for the Doctorate in Professional Leadership and Assistant Professor of Leadership. He teaches in the Doctorate in Professional Leadership and the Master’s in Management programs. He is also currently developing graduate courses focusing on higher education leadership. He previously worked as an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership with emphases in higher education and student affairs at Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Prior to faculty roles, he served in multiple leadership roles in higher education and student affairs. These areas include residential life, financial aid, and student advising. Please check out these relevant links: Faculty Website Second Star to the Right: Essays on Leadership in Star Trek Call for Chapter Proposals: Beyond the Next Star Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Derek Tyler Attico is a speculative fiction author, essayist, and award-winning photographer. In fiction, Derek has won the Excellence in Playwriting Award from the Dramatist Guild of America, and he is a two-time winner of the Star Trek Strange New Worlds short story contest (“Alpha & Omega,” “The Dreamer and the Dream”) published by Simon and Schuster. Derek is also the author of the bestselling, critically acclaimed Star Trek novel The Autobiography of Benjamin Sisko by Titan Publishing. Please check out these relevant links: Website The Autobiography of Benjamin Sisko Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Dr. Michael Wong is an NHFP Sagan Postdoctoral Fellow at Carnegie Science's Earth & Planets Laboratory working with Robert M. Hazen and others. His primary scientific interests are planetary atmospheres, habitability, biosignatures, and the emergence of life. He is also co-authoring a revised edition of the textbook “Astrobiology: A Multidisciplinary Approach” with Professor Jonathan Lunine. His other passions include photography, writing, public speaking, graphic design, and playing a variety of team sports. He hosts a podcast called Strange New Worlds, which examines science, technology, and culture through the lens of Star Trek. Please check out these relevant links: Paper in Nature (behind a paywall) Strange New Worlds Podcast Website Twitter Instagram Pioneer RPG Kickstarter Traveller RPG Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Ross Leiser is an asexual geek, math-loving theater and choir kid, and forever GM (by choice) who specializes in player-facing design. He's worked many jobs, from math teacher, to grocery store pizza maker, to flooring wholesaler, to landscaper, but he's a lot happier making games full-time. Since March of 2017, he's operated under the brand Outlandish Adventure Productions, with products that spark whimsy and capture the imagination, but with a serious focus on system syntax, narrative-mechanical cohesion, inter-party balance, and positive gameplay experiences for both the player and game master. His body of work primarily includes independent, third-party supplemental products for D&D 5e on the Dungeon Master's Guild, but now he's a senior designer on the core design team of the award-winning Cosmere RPG as a decade-long Sanderfan who's utterly obsessed with the Cosmere's magic systems, and having an absolute blast working alongside the most wonderful team in the world. Please check out these relevant links: LinkedIn Ross on Dungeon Masters Guild Cosmere BackerKit Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Katrina Ostrander has served as editor for over a dozen media tie-in novellas spanning multiple genres including cyberpunk, fantasy, Lovecraftian horror, and science fiction. She has worked with emerging writers as well as New York Times–bestselling authors. As the Creative Director of Story and Setting with the Asmodee Franchise Development Team, she oversees the internal and licensed development of the company’s proprietary IPs. Besides her work as an editor of tie-in fiction and developer of IPs, she has written for or developed over a dozen roleplaying game products, including adventures, supplements, and core rulebooks. Please check out these relevant links: Website The Worlds of Android Asmodee Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

It's a midsummer night's interlude! Instead of a full episode, we bring you this brief PSA. Please check out these relevant links: Fantasy Flight Games Edge Studio Cosmere RPG Second Star to the Right: Essays on Leadership in Star Trek Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

It's our sesquicentennial episode! Jim Johnson was born about the same time Apollo XII landed on the moon (and has always been kinda spacey) and shares a birthday with the Kindle. He is the author of the Pistols and Pyramids weird western series and the Potomac Shadows urban fantasy series. He's also written a bunch of other stuff in and around the SFF genres and pen and paper RPGs. He's currently the project manager and line editor for Modiphius's Star Trek Adventures RPG. Please check out these relevant links: Website Facebook Twitter YouTube Books on Amazon Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Dr. Michael Wong is an NHFP Sagan Postdoctoral Fellow at Carnegie Science's Earth & Planets Laboratory working with Robert M. Hazen and others. My primary scientific interests are planetary atmospheres, habitability, biosignatures, and the emergence of life. I am also co-authoring a revised edition of the textbook Astrobiology: A Multidisciplinary Approach with Professor Jonathan Lunine. My other passions include photography, writing, public speaking, graphic design, and playing a variety of team sports. I host a podcast called Strange New Worlds, which examines science, technology, and culture through the lens of Star Trek. Please check out these links from the episode: Strange New Worlds Website Twitter Instagram Boldly Go! Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Ross Leiser is an asexual geek, math-loving theater and choir kid, and forever GM (by choice) who specializes in player-facing design. He's worked many jobs, from math teacher, to grocery store pizza maker, to flooring wholesaler, to landscaper, but he's a lot happier making games full-time. Since March of 2017, he's operated under the brand Outlandish Adventure Productions, with products that spark whimsy and capture the imagination, but with a serious focus on system syntax, narrative-mechanical cohesion, inter-party balance, and positive gameplay experiences for both the player and game master. His body of work primarily includes independent, third-party supplemental products for D&D 5e on the Dungeon Master's Guild, but now he's a senior designer on the core design team of the award-winning Cosmere RPG as a decade-long Sanderfan who's utterly obsessed with the Cosmere's magic systems, and having an absolute blast working alongside the most wonderful team in the world. Please check out these relevant links: LinkedIn Ross on Dungeon Masters Guild Cosmere BackerKit Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Peter Tinaglia is a human teacher who wants to use TTRPGs in places of work as a team building tool. His day job is teaching teenagers about history, but his evening job is running an after school D&D club for teenagers and teachers. Please check out these relevant links: ShadowDark SoloDark Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Greta K. Kelly is (probably) not a witch, death or otherwise, but she can still be summoned with offerings of too-beautiful-to-use journals and Butterfingers candy. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her husband EJ, daughters Lorelei and Nadia who are doing their level-best to take over the world. The Warrior Witch duology, consisting of THE FROZEN CROWN and its sequel THE SEVENTH QUEEN are both out now. Greta’s third novel, THE QUEEN OF DAYS, a stand alone adult fantasy is also out now. Please check out these relevant links: Website The Frozen Crown The Seventh Queen The Queen of Days SFF Addicts Podcast Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Aaron Pollyea has a background in astronomy and physics, but currently has a day job dealing with climate change and its intersection with agriculture. He has been a life-long Star Trek fan, and has been working as a freelance writer for Star Trek Adventures since it began. In his free time, Aaron may be found gazing through his telescope, reading a good book, or doing historical reenacting with his wife. Please check out these relevant links: Star Trek Adventures: Technical Manual Star Trek Adventures: Utopia Planitia Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

*We apologize for the low-gain issue with Meric's microphone*   Meric Moir is a digital marketing manager at an international engineering company, a MacEwan University graduate from the sadly defunct Professional Writing program, a father of four, and a constant storyteller and worldbuilder. He recently became the book lead on Cosmere RPG’s Mistborn World Guide. Please check out these relevant links: Cosmere Roleplaying Game Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

It's our fourth anniversary episode! Join us for a brief look back and candid look forward to what you can expect from Year 5 of Dice in Mind. Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Jim Johnson was born about the same time Apollo XII landed on the moon (and has always been kinda spacey) and shares a birthday with the Kindle. He is the author of the Pistols and Pyramids weird western series and the Potomac Shadows urban fantasy series. He's also written a bunch of other stuff in and around the SFF genres and pen and paper RPGs. He's currently the project manager and line editor for Modiphius's Star Trek Adventures RPG. Al Spader is a middle school science teacher, father of five-year-old twin boys, and a freelance RPG writer and game designer. As a regular writer for Star Trek Adventures and lead designer of the Sentience 2d20 RPG, Al brings his knowledge of neurodivergence and social-emotional learning to the TTRPG community. Michael Dismuke is a Certified Professional in Talent Development and Certified Leadership Development and Succession Strategist. He is a national speaker/trainer and consultant, a freelance writer for the Star Trek Adventures RPG, and a published comic creator. Please check out these relevant links: Star Trek Adventures: Technical Manual Star Trek Adventures: Second Edition Core Rulebook Sentience 2d20 Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Kelli Fitzpatrick is a science fiction writer, gamewriter, and teacher. She is the author of Captain Marvel: Carol Danvers Declassified (from BenBella Books, 2025) and is a contributing writer for the Star Trek Adventures role-playing game from Modiphius. Her Star Trek story “The Sunwalkers” won the 2016 Strange New Worlds contest from Simon and Schuster. Her short fiction has been published by Baen Books, Crazy 8 Press, Flash Fiction Online, and others, and her essays on sci-fi pop culture appear at StarTrek.com, Women at Warp, and in anthologies from Sequart and ATB Publishing. She has written for NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope outreach team and Arizona State University’s Interplanetary Initiative. She has over a decade of experience teaching high school and college courses. Find her at KelliFitzpatrick.com and on Bluesky @KelliFitzWrites. Please check out these relevant links: Captain Marvel: Carol Danvers Declassified Star Trek Adventures: Shackleton Expanse Campaign Guide Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Dr. Jesse Rogerson is an Assistant Professor at York University. He is a passionate scientist, educator, and communicator. Whether in the classroom or on social media, he seeks to create conversations on how science and society intersect, and why science is relevant in our daily lives. Please check out these relevant links: Daydreaming in the Solar System Traveller RPG The Millennial Project Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Dr. John Moores is an Associate Professor at York University and Director of the Graduate Program in Earth and Space Science. He is the Science Advisor to the President of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and also serves as the Director of the Technologies for Exo-Planetary Science NSERC CREATE Program, which provides unique training opportunities for graduate students. He previously served as the Associate Dean of Research & Graduate Studies for the Lassonde School of Engineering at York University. Please check out these relevant links: Daydreaming in the Solar System Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Michael Dismuke is a Certified Professional in Talent Development and Certified Leadership Development and Succession Strategist. He is a national speaker/trainer and consultant, a freelance writer for the Star Trek Adventures RPG, and a published comic creator. Please check out these relevant links: Star Trek Adventures: Klingon Core Rulebook Dune: Adventures in the Imperium Core Rulebook Starforged Rulebook Continuing Mission Article Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Michael Low is a live-scan certified CA high school English teacher, parent, story-teller, and game designer. He teaches kids non-violent conflict resolution, collaboration, confidence, critical thinking, and creative writing using games, inspired by a love of learning, not fear of failure. #LAStrong Please check out these relevant links: InfiniBrix Kickstarter Luck of Legends Michael’s Wonderful Video Stories RPG Podcast Brick Loot Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Welcome to our second RPG review through the lens of LitRPG! We hope you enjoy it. Please check out these links from the episode: Star Trek Adventures 2e Starter Set Star Trek Adventures 2e Core Rulebook Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Happy New Year! Sophie May is the PR Manager at publisher of tabletop games, Modiphius, working on games such as Star Trek Adventures, the Discworld RPG, and more. Having worked in PR since 2018, Sophie has previously worked in agency, where she worked for brands such as BT, JP Morgan, PizzaExpress, and more, before working in-house at sustainable fashion brand, Lucy & Yak. Having joined Modiphius in January 2024, Sophie now leads Modiphius' PR efforts, including media relations, influencer marketing, and PR events. Please check out these relevant links: Modiphius Dungeons & Dragons Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

With the holiday season approaching across the Northern Hemisphere, we are taking two weeks to explore the importance of mental health and how RPGs and adjacent canons and games can promote it. Please join us for this timely conversation...and please be well. If you are in need of talking with someone, please consider calling: 911: Emergency Assistance 988: Suicide and Crisis Lifeline You can also check out this list of resources curated by the American Psychological Association. Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Matthew Sprange is co-founder and managing director of Mongoose Publishing, where he has been running the company for more than two decades. A game designer who has designed, authored, or edited more than 50 game products, Matthew also has magazine credits in Signs & Portents and several other popular publications. Please check out these relevant links: Mongoose Publishing State of the Mongoose 2024 Traveller Paranoia Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Dr. Peterson is an Assistant Professor of Leadership in the Department of Leadership. He teaches in the Doctorate in Professional Leadership and the Master’s in Management programs. He is also currently developing graduate courses focusing on higher education leadership. He previously worked as an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership with emphases in higher education and student affairs at Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Prior to faculty roles, he served in multiple leadership roles in higher education and student affairs. These areas include residential life, financial aid, and student advising. Dr. Reynolds is a professor  civil procedure, conflict of laws, negotiation, and mediation at the University of Oregon. Her research interests include negotiation, dispute systems design, and cultural influences and implications of alternative processes. She holds the Orlando John and Marian H. Hollis endowed professorship at the law school. She is currently serving as the law school's Interim Dean. Dr. Noam Ebner is a professor at Creighton University and former chair of its online graduate program in negotiation and conflict resolution, he has over fifteen years of experience in online teaching, curricular design, and program development. He has consulted to other academic programs in these areas, and has supported many teachers in the negotiation, conflict resolution, and ADR fields in their transition to teaching online. Please check out these links from the episode: Star Wars and Conflict Resolution II: My Negotiations Will Not Fail Star Wars and Conflict Resolution Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Ian Lemke is a game developer for Green Ronin and is responsible for The Expanse Roleplaying Game line. He has written for The Expanse line since the core rulebook and has also contributed writing to Blue Rose. Ian has been developing games (both tabletop RPGs and computer games) since 1993. He’s worked as a writer or developer for many companies including White Wolf, FASA, Modiphius, Zenimax Online, and more. He got his start running Vampire LARPs and ran a fantasy LARP for 10 years and loves all things sci fi and fantasy. He lives in the outskirts of Atlanta, GA with his wonderful wife (who secretly gives him a lot of his best ideas), a dog named Shakespeare, a rabbit named Marlowe, and several chickens. Please check out these links from the episode: Ian Lemke (Twitter/X) The Expanse Transport Union Edition Quickstart The Expanse Roleplaying Game Green Ronin Publishing Nevermore Roleplaying Game Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Welcome to our first "official" RPG book review through the lens of LitRPG! We hope you enjoy it. Please check out these links from the episode: Star Trek Adventures 2e Core Rulebook Continuing Conversations Episode 145 Continuing Conversations Episode (YouTube) Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Al Spader is a middle school science teacher, father of five-year-old twin boys, and a freelance RPG writer and game designer. As a regular writer for Star Trek Adventures and lead designer of the Sentience 2d20 RPG, Al brings his knowledge of neurodivergence and social-emotional learning to the TTRPG community. Please check out these links from the episode: Once Upon Sentience Star Trek Adventures: The Federation-Klingon War Tactical Campaign Al Spader (Twitter) Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Shelly Mazzanoble is an award-winning author of essays, books, two unfinished novels, some short stories, and one-act plays that have actually been produced. Most surprising, she is someone’s a mother. She loves writing about reality TV almost as much as parenting. Then there’s all the Dungeons & Dragons stuff. Shelly has written three books about D&D: Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress: A Girl’s Guide to the Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game, Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Dungeons & Dragons: One Woman's Quest to Trade Self-Help for Elf Help, and Welcome to Dragon Talk: Inspiring Conversations About Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Love to Play It (co-authored by Greg Tito.) Most recently, Shelly has written How to Dungeon Master Parenting: A Guidebook for Gamifying the Child Rearing Quest, Leveling Up Your Skills, and Raising Future Adventurers. Please check out these links from the episode: Tertulia (the publisher is offering a 25% discount until 12 November) Amazon Bookshop.org Barnes & Noble University of Iowa Press Middle-Aged Lady Mom (on Substack) Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Katie Nickolaou is the Emmy Award Winning CBS Morning Meteorologist for WLNS in Lansing, Michigan. From reporting on tornadoes live in the field to tracking multi-day blizzards, she loves injecting her forecasts with unique and detailed information that captivates and educates her audience. She is the creator of the #FandomForecast, a project she started to bring together her love for pop culture and weather forecasting. Please check out these links from the episode: Twitter Instagram TikTok Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Nearly two years ago, we had the opportunity to interview RPG royalty. Bill Smith is the writer and editor of the much hailed Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game (2nd ed.) core rulebook, Game Master Handbook, and more from West End Games. He was so humble and kind when we spoke. We hope you enjoy listening to the chat half as much as we did having it! Also, we promise this is the last rerun on Dice in Mind for a very, very long time. ----- This week we bring you RPG royalty! Seriously. We have the good fortune of sharing our fascinating conversation with Bill Smith, writer and editor of the much hailed Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game (2nd ed.) core rulebook, Game Master Handbook, and more from West End Games. Bill's work on the mechanics and storytelling of Star Wars roleplaying should not be underestimated. His influences subtle and significant remain manifest throughout the science-fiction and fantasy RPG zeitgeist to this day. It also turns out that Bill is also a really neat person. Please check out Bill's oeuvre old and new: Website Outlaw Galaxy Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game (2nd ed.) Bill Smith's books have sold nearly half a million copies. He has written for leading publishers such as Del Rey Books, Little Brown, Lucasfilm, Topps, West End Games, TSR Inc., and Wizard Press. From 1991 to 1997, he served as the Star Wars roleplaying game line editor for West End Games. In 1995, he was voted "Favorite Designer" by the RPGA, the world's largest organization for role-playing game enthusiasts. He has also written for Hershey Foods, the WIT Agency, and has been involved in motorsports promotion, marketing and journalism for nearly three decades. Bill works a day job to support his writing habit and continues to publish Outlaw Galaxy stories. He hopes you enjoy them. Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Michael Dismuke is a Certified Professional in Talent Development and Certified Leadership Development and Succession Strategist. He is a national speaker/trainer and consultant, a freelance writer for the Star Trek Adventures RPG, and a published comic creator. Please check out these relevant links: Michael on Twitter Continuing Conversations Star Trek Adventures, Second Edition Dune: Adventure in the Imperium Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Sarah Al-Ahmed holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in astrophysics from the University of California at Berkeley. After some time as a data-taker for a supernova research team using instruments at Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton, California, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in science communication. Sarah spent six years as a museum guide, writer, and show producer at the historic Griffith Observatory. She was a monthly contributor to Griffith Observer magazine and a content creator for All Space Considered, the observatory’s monthly astronomy news program. Sarah joined The Planetary Society as Digital Community Manager in 2020, using her science communication skills to cultivate The Planetary Society's online communities. In 2023, she became the host and producer of Planetary Radio, The Planetary Society's weekly podcast and radio show. She continues to share the human adventure across our Solar System and beyond each week. Please check out these links from the episode: Planetary Radio The Planetary Society Griffith Observatory Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Brad and Jason are doing a bit of summer traveling. So, please join us this week for a rerun of one of our most popular episodes:   Katie Nickolaou is the Emmy Award Winning CBS Morning Meteorologist for WLNS in Lansing, Michigan. From reporting on tornadoes live in the field to tracking multi-day blizzards, she loves injecting her forecasts with unique and detailed information that captivates and educates her audience. She is the creator of the #FandomForecast, a project she started to bring together her love for pop culture and weather forecasting.   Please check out these links from the episode:   Twitter Instagram TikTok Star Trek: Lower Decks Campaign Guide (Star Trek Adventures RPG)   Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

James L. Sutter is a co-creator of the Pathfinder and Starfinder Roleplaying Games. From 2004 to 2017, he worked for Paizo Publishing, starting out as an editor on Dungeon Magazine, going on to do foundational work for Pathfinder, and eventually becoming the Creative Director in charge of launching Starfinder, as well as the Executive Editor of the Pathfinder Tales novel line for Paizo and Tor, before leaving to write full-time. James is also the author of the young adult romance novels Darkhearts and The Ghost of Us, as well as the fantasy novels Death's Heretic—a finalist for the Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel—and The Redemption Engine, which won the 2015 Scribe Award for Best Original Speculative Novel. His short stories have appeared in such venues as Nightmare, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Escape Pod, and the #1 Amazon best-seller Machine of Death. In addition, he's written comic books, essays in venues like Clarkesworld and Lightspeed: Queers Destroy Science Fiction, a wealth of tabletop gaming material, and video games. When not writing, James has performed with musical acts ranging from metalcore to musical theater. He lives in Seattle. Please check out these links from the episode: The Ghost of Us James L. Sutter (website) Twitter/X Tabletop Gaming Credits Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Michael Dismuke is a Certified Professional in Talent Development and Certified Leadership Development and Succession Strategist. He is a national speaker/trainer and consultant, a freelance writer for the Star Trek Adventures RPG, and a published comic creator. Please check out these links from the episode: Confirmation Bias (excerpt) Continuing Mission Star Trek Adventures Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.