Matt Dinniman Spotlight Moderated by Jim Zub.
I reviewed the first book (Dungeon Crawler Carl) when Ace Books republished the series in hardcover and I loved it. I recently finished the fifth book, The Butcher’s Masquerade and will soon move onto the sixth book The Eye of the Bedlam Bride.
This was a very conversational panel. I got the sense these guys, if not super best friends, had a healthy respect for each other and were friendly.
Matt Dinniman: “Nothing about any of this is normal… I’m surrounded by men in their underwear.”
Jim made a comment that Matt is to blame for not being able to find men’s white boxer shorts in covered in red hearts, because that is what Carl is stuck wearing.
Matt says, “We’ve gotten so far so fast because of you guys.”
Jim Zub: He heard about the books years ago and this LitRPG “thing.”
Matt grew up on gaming, and his mindset led to the Dungeon Crawler Carl books. He was writing his whole life… started with fan fiction as a kid about his G.I. Joe and Transformers toys.
His older brothers played Dungeons and Dragons. Matt take the modules and essentially write them out as stories.
Matt published his first book in 2003 so he isn’t technically an overnight success.
It is a surreal and wild journey. Matt is also aware of how fortunate he is… Dungeon Crawler Carl hit at the right time.
Has taught himself to write on the road [airports, hotels], because his schedule is crazy. Working on book 9 but doesn’t have a regular writing schedule.
Matt has been going to conventions for years as an artist, but most recently invited as a guest. There’s been more convention attending, especially as a guest, in 2026 than ever.
Matt is moving into a new house, in part, because people were going to his house!
Matt is a “pantser” and makes up the story as he goes along. Feels very strongly DCC wouldn’t be as successful if he plotted and planned.
He loves when the “escape” or how Carl gets out a situation comes to him. Loves the chaos of it all.
Matt loses interest in writing the story if he knows how it will end although he plants seeds here and there for things he may need in the future.
He writes in coffee shops frequently. He can remember where he was when he wrote some scenes when he reads them back. Also writes to music like heavy metal band Amon Amarth.
Jim Zub says Dungeon Crawler Carl is “A horror book dressed up as a comedy. There’s a lot of pathos.”
Matt Dinniman: “I’ve always said they are Horror novels, my publisher doesn’t agree. Most of the world is destroyed at the start.” and “The first 3 books written at the height of the pandemic.”
Jim Zub asked how the ancillary products/merchandise pulled him away from writing.
Matt “Hired someone to help him with that. But Matt really wanted boom-based merchandise since that got him where he is before TV show merchandise potentially got there.”
From there, Matt took some audience questions.
Editor note: I’ve purchased from the licensed store Dungeon Crawler Carl Threadless and I’m very happy with the the products they’ve produced!
Matt Dinniman official Web site
© 2026 Rob H. Bedford
