The BoardGameGeek Podcast

Episode 105: Lizzy, Ben, & Josey - Where Game Mechanics Meet Art  - Top 3 Games for Bookworms - Fun weekend plans

Meet the designers and artist behind Bookwrym from Sword and Rose Press. We talk about how mechanics influence the art and vice versa in their game. For the book lovers, there’s a few game recommendations. And then we end with our fun weekend plans.

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:29 Get to know my guests
00:00:41 Lizzy Ives
00:01:28 Ben Kepner
00:01:53 Josey Tsao
00:04:48 How did they meet?
00:09:24 How did they get into board games?
00:11:42 How did Josey become a board game artist?
00:13:38 What's their favorite Book?
00:19:34 Where Board Game Mechanics, Meet art.
00:20:05 When did Josey come into the process?
00:23:15 Bookwyrm from Sword and Rose Press
Kickstarter Link
Instagram - @swordandrosepress 
00:24:02 Kitty fur babies in the game.
00:26:02 Cats and Plants expansion
00:27:43 Importance of good art and graphic design
00:29:24 Artist input
00:36:40 Layers of Discovery
00:38:06 Who's cats are in the expansion?
00:40:55 Real life in a fantasy world
00:44:43 Artist input is important
00:46:37 How important is graphic design?
00:49:04 A good artist is worth their weight in ... books.
00:53:49 Top 3 games for Bookworms
00:54:27 ContraBanter
00:56:38 Décorum
00:58:55 Spots
01:00:06 Detective: City of Angels
01:01:15 A Place for All My Books
01:04:22 Leaf
01:05:22 Rocca Town
01:07:01 The Lord of the Rings: Trick Taking Games
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Trick-Taking Game
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Trick-Taking Game
01:09:07 Roots: A Game of Inventing Words
01:10:38 Dune
01:12:03 Enchanted Ivy
01:14:03 My Shelfie
01:19:35 Moment of Positivity
01:29:04 Bookwrym on Kickstarter
01:31:24 Where can you find my guests?
01:31:36 Ben
Ben Kepner’s Website
Social Media: @kepneraptor (Instagram)
01:31:59 Lizzy
Social Media: @lizzytacular (Instagram, Tiktok)
Substack Newsletter: https://lizzyives.substack.com/
01:33:26 Josey
Social Media: @joseytsao (Instagram)
Website: https://www.joseytsao.net | https://ginkgohouse.co/ 
01:35:10 Outro

(Please note that these time stamps might not be accurate due to the use of dynamic ads.)
We hope you will come join us for fun games with all the fun people at BGG.CON 2026. https://boardgamegeek.com/bggcon or https://tabletop.events/conventions/bgg.con-2026
Web: https://boardgamegeek.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@boardgamegeek
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoardGameGeek
Email: podcast@boardgamegeek.com

Episode 104: Tina Burns & Dr. Amelia Herbst  - Geek Girl Con - Women in Gaming - Finding Community

Tina and Amelia from the board of Geek Girl Con joins me to talk about the con, femme presenting designers, artist, and musicians in gaming, and how finding your community makes all the difference.

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:28 Get to know Tina Burns
00:01:48 Get to know Dr. Amelia Herbst
00:02:48 Backgrounds and Perspectives on Gaming
00:05:05 What types of games do they like to play?
00:12:59 Introduction to GeekGirlCon
00:14:19 The Importance of Safe Spaces in Geek Culture
00:15:24 What's in a name?
00:17:02 GGC - Every Geek is welcome!
00:20:27 Growing up at GGC
00:21:16 Supporting GeekGirlCon
00:22:59 Volunteer Opportunities and Roles
00:25:16 5 Femme presenting designers, artist, musicians and their work
00:25:49 Scarlet Hollow - Abby Howard
00:28:03 King's Quest - Roberta Williams
00:29:31 Sanibel - Elizabeth Hargrave
00:31:02 Wyrmspan - Connie Vogelmann
00:32:25 Wingspan - Elizabeth Hargrave
00:33:32 River Market - Roberta Taylor
00:35:06 Elder Scrolls - Christiane Meister
00:36:54 Xbox - Asha Sharma and Sarah Bond
00:38:21 Forage - Beth Sobel
00:40:25 Celeste - Maddy Thorson, Gabby DaRienzo, and Lena Raine
00:41:41 Magic the Gathering: Secret Lair cards
00:44:52 Knitting Circle - Emily Vincent
00:46:18 Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus, and Ghosts of Saltmarsh, - Kate Welch
00:47:42 BioShock - Alyssa Finley
00:48:55 Menagerie: Unlock the Wonders of a Miniature World- Fertessa Allyse
00:51:57 Honorable Mention: Qwirkle - Susan McKinley Ross
00:52:43 Moment of Positivity
00:59:28 Where can you find Tina and Amelia?
Geek Girl Con Website (Linktr.ee, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, Twitch, Youtube)
Email: info@geekgirlcon.com
01:02:08 Outro

(Please note that these time stamps might not be accurate due to the use of dynamic ads.)
We hope you will come join us for fun games with all the fun people at BGG.CON 2026. https://boardgamegeek.com/bggcon or https://tabletop.events/conventions/bgg.con-2026
Web: https://boardgamegeek.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@boardgamegeek
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoardGameGeek
Email: podcast@boardgamegeek.com

Episode 103: Curt Covert (Smirk and Dagger) - Exhibiting at Conventions- Games we’ve been playing lately (not from Smirk and Dagger) 
Join me as we get to know Curt Covert, the owner of Smirk and Dagger games. We discuss what goes into exhibiting at conventions. While we go through a lot of information, it’s definitely not everything. But it might help someone starting out or might be an interesting peek behind the curtain. Then, we talk about 5 games we’ve been playing lately. And of course, ending with something positive happening in our lives. Don’t be afraid to go up or reach out to Curt if you have questions about the board game industry. He’s truly a fountain of knowledge.

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:16 Get to know Curt Covert
00:01:27 Smirk and Laughter
00:04:34 Trickarus
00:12:11 Main Topic: Exhibiting at Conventions
00:12:33 Curt's overall philosophy
00:16:14 Choosing the Right Conventions for Exhibiting
00:19:01 First Steps to getting a booth
00:24:19 Navigating Convention Spaces and Traffic Flow
00:33:03 Line Management at Conventions
00:37:54 Efficient Booth Breakdown Strategies
00:42:59 Planning for Conventions - when to start
00:43:56 Engaging Booth Promotions
00:49:37 5 games (not from Smirk and Dagger) that we've been enjoying
00:49:55 Wondrous Creatures
00:53:32 Dino Racer
00:57:42 Fliptoons
Fliptoons Season 2
01:02:01 Clank! Catacombs
Underworld Expansion
01:05:20 Drillers
01:09:06 Things in Rings
Things on Strings
01:12:56 Rascally Rabbits
01:15:34 Ito
One Round?
01:21:08 Codenames: Critical Role Adventures
01:24:13 The Gang
The Gang: Deluxe Edition
01:30:38 Moment of Positivity
01:39:33 Where can you find Curt?
Smirk and Dagger Website
Facebook
Instagram
01:40:36 Outro

(Please note that these time stamps might not be accurate due to the use of dynamic ads.)
We hope you will come join us for fun games with all the fun people at BGG.CON 2026. https://boardgamegeek.com/bggcon or https://tabletop.events/conventions/bgg.con-2026
Web: https://boardgamegeek.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@boardgamegeek
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoardGameGeek
Email: podcast@boardgamegeek.com

Episode 102: Peter Vaughan - Crowdfunding Tips and Tricks - Top 5 Bag and Deck Building Games - Con Memories

Peter, one of the owners of Cardboard Alchemy, takes time away from his big Kickstarter for Whisperwood, to talk about what he has learned about crowdfunding, his favorite bag and deck builder, ending with some good memories from conventions.

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:37 Who is Peter Vaughan?
Cardboard Alchemy
What the Food
Flamecraft
Andromeda's Edge
00:03:14 Whisperwood on KS
00:04:35 Main Topic: Kickstarting Board Games
00:04:55 Why Kickstarter?
00:06:10 How Kickstarter has changed for Board Games
00:07:57 Trends and Changes in Crowdfunding
00:13:26 Tips for those starting out in crowdfunding
00:17:08 Whisperwood: Cozy, Crunchy, Combo-filled Bag Builder
00:23:24 Preparing for a Crowdfunding Launch
00:26:08 Kickstarter is live, Now what?
00:27:50 Marketing Strategies Post-Kickstarter
00:31:27 Top 5 Bag & Deck Building Games
00:32:49 Orleans
00:37:03 Altiplano
00:39:49 Cubitos
00:41:42 Concordia
00:43:57 Mystic Lands
Ruins
00:46:28 Lost Ruins of Arnak
00:49:40 Tea Garden
00:53:07 Fliptoons
Fliptoons: Season 2
00:56:26 Fishing
01:00:05 Moon colony Bloodbath
01:04:00 Honorable Mentions
Wonderland’s War
Quacks
Clank!: A Deck-Building Adventure
Drillers
01:08:46 Moments of Positivity
LFG Con
01:15:40 Where can you find Peter Vaughn on the Internet?
Cardboard Alchemy’s:
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Discord
Youtube
01:20:16 Outro

(Please note that these time stamps might not be accurate due to the use of dynamic ads.)

We hope you will come join us for fun games with all the fun people at BGG.CON 2026. https://boardgamegeek.com/bggcon or https://tabletop.events/conventions/bgg.con-2026
Web: https://boardgamegeek.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@boardgamegeek
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoardGameGeek
Email: podcast@boardgamegeek.com

Episode 101: Ilka Luza - How to Behave at the Table. - Top 5 Games We Like to Play on Repeat - A Surprise Gift and White Water Rafting.

Grab a drink and maybe some snacks because this is a longer episode. My super talented friend, Ilka Luza, joins me to discuss an important topic that’s not necessarily said out loud, some of our favorite comfort games, something that made us smile lately, and lots and lots of stories.

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:40 Who is Ilka Luza
00:08:11 Prevention Theater
Ep. 82 - Dave Luza
Ep. 83: AnnaMaria Jackson-Phelps
00:10:22 How to behave at a table
00:21:04 Respect each other
00:28:59 Ending a game early
00:39:20 Phones at the table
00:46:10 Top 5 Games we like to play on repeat
00:47:07 Patchwork Doodle
00:49:06 Three Sisters: Harvest Edition
00:52:17 Azul
00:55:54 Lords of Waterdeep
01:02:06 Sanctuary
01:08:04 Takenoko
01:11:55 Wingspan
01:17:12 Mahjong
01:27:14 Cascadia
01:32:25 Akropolis
01:36:35 Honorable Mentions
01:36:45 Nokosu Dice
01:39:40 Fliptoons
01:49:11 Moment of Positivity
Chris Long Prints
02:00:43 Where to Find Ilka?
Ilka’s Website 
Luzapalooza on Instagram, Twitch, and Youtube
This Game is Broken podcast
02:03:25 Outro

(Please note that these time stamps might not be accurate due to the use of dynamic ads.)
Web: https://boardgamegeek.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@boardgamegeek
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoardGameGeek
Email: podcast@boardgamegeek.com