Author Q&A: Matt Dinniman talks Operation Bouce House, DCC + Combating Trolls and AI

Dive into the Wild World of Matt Dinniman: Books, Bots, and Bluntness Brace yourself for a chat sprinkled with humor, honesty, and a whole lot of randomness. Matt Dinniman, the OG of relatable protagonists and master of absurd humor, drops by to talk about his latest antics—from writing standalones versus series, dealing with trolls, to the chaos of touring with a taxidermied rat in tow. Buckle up, it’s a rollercoaster of ideas, laughs, and deep thoughts about AI, internet trolls, and the unending quest for writer sanity. In this episode: The ridiculousness of writing a 10-plus book series vs standalone projects How Dungeon Crawler Carl might get along with Operation Bounce House characters Matt’s takes on AI—how it’s a mirror of our world and the scary parts we’re ignoring The thrill and chaos of book signings and author tours—how to handle rowdy fans and limited time The dark art of trolling—why some reviews are more savage than a lion in the savannah Handling negative feedback: from random hate to heartfelt critique that stings The importance of humor in heavy topics—genocide, AI rebellion, and existential dread made lighter Tour tales: from chasing Fiona the hippo to the legend of the taxidermied rat dressed as Carl The marvel of organizing a sprawling epic—keeping track of gods, characters, and Easter eggs Upcoming projects, dream tours, and the secret sauce behind relatable characters like Carl and Oliver Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome back to the chaos: Matt Dinniman’s book universe 02:08 - Writing standalones vs series 04:23 - AI in stories vs real life 05:54 - The emotional toll of reviews 07:22 - Trolls online and handling hate 09:35 - Toxic online communities 12:24 - Bizarre reviews and personal insecurities 14:52 - Memorable insults and humor 19:05 - Balancing humor with dark themes 21:37 - Trust in AI and real-world fears 23:35 - Relatability of ordinary characters 25:36 - Success of Dungeon Crawler Carl 27:23 - Behind the scenes of book signings 30:30 - Touring Europe and fan gifts 33:18 - Making meet-and-greets meaningful 36:47 - Giving fans grace during signings 40:00 - Upcoming tour stops and fan campaigns 45:36 - Future of AI: sci-fi vs reality 55:50 - Managing writer's spreadsheets 66:30 - Final thoughts on storytelling Want to become a Book Club member and join in the live shows?! Click here:   / maudesbookclub   FOR SCHEDULE, BOOK PICK OF THE MONTH AND GIVEAWAYS - JOIN OUR DISCORD!   / discord   MAKE SURE YOU'RE SUBSCRIBED AND TURN ON THE NOTIFICATION BELL! FOLLOW MBC! TWITTER:   / maudesbookclub   INSTAGRAM:   / maudesbookclub   WEBSITE: https://maudesbookclub.com/ FOLLOW MAUDE GARRETT! INSTAGRAM:   / maudegarrett   TWITTER:   / maudegarrett   FACEBOOK:   / maudegarrett