Page Break Podcast Episode 67: Michael Stackpole

The sixty seventh episode of my podcast Page Break is now out! My guest this week is author Michael Stackpole. Michael has a long and fantastic career highlighted, among many things, by his work on the Star Wars X-wing books in the 90’s. He’s written in both his own original worlds and for intellectual properties, including Star Wars, Battletech, and World of Warcraft. As a long time gaming writer and enthusiast, he’s worked on both tabletop RPGs and computer games.

Michael is kind enough to let my inner teenager gush about Star Wars and chat about his process in creating the X-wing books. We also discuss his work on the original Wasteland game and briefly touch on its influence on the Fallout universe. We get into a long conversation on the history of the entertainment industry and the scale and longevity of a writer’s fame.


Page Break with Brian McClellan is a collection of casual conversations between me and fellow creative professionals—like two friends sitting down over lunch to discuss career, craft, family, and hobbies.

Authorhood is a quiet sort of minor fame where the person behind the words is often obscured by the works they’ve created. I aim to use this podcast to find out more about my friends and colleagues.

Look forward to weekly conversations with creators like TV writer/producer Joseph Mallozzi, epic fantasy author Robin Hobb, science fiction author Pierce Brown, Twitch streamer Mark Hulmes, and many more!

Casey BlairComment