Tag

Historical Fiction

History, Journalism, Non Fiction

Jan 18: The Nazi Conspiracy with #1 NYT Bestselling Author Brad Meltzer

January 18, 2023

The Nazi Conspiracy_BradMeltzer_ConversationsLiveVickiStClairThe Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill

Brad Meltzer’s books are full of twist and turns, intriguing characters, and little known historical details. And it’s those delicious details that make The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill so compelling.

Brad shares how he discovered this true Nazi assasination plot that, had it not been thwarted, would have changed the world. We discuss what surprised him most during his research, how this part of history informs today’s landscape, why Brad says we need to feel uncomfortable, and much more.

 

About Brad Meltzer

BRAD MELTZER is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod, The Escape Artist, and over ten other bestselling thrillers, as well as the Ordinary People Change the World series. He is also the host of the History Channel TV shows “Brad Meltzer’s Decoded” and “Brad Meltzer’s Lost History,” which he used to help find the missing 9/11 flag that the firefighters raised at Ground Zero. Brad coauthored The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill with JOSH MENSCH – a bestselling author and award-winning TV documentary producer.

Continue reading
Fiction, History, Writers on Writing

May 05: NYT Bestselling Author Jenny Lecoat

May 4, 2022

Based on a true story of a courageous young Jewish woman trapped under Nazi occupation on the Isle of Jersey in WWII

Considering her background, fate may have decreed Jenny Lecoat’s first novel would spark a bidding war between two major publishers and become a New York Times Bestseller.

The Girl From the Channel Islands is based on the true story of Hedy Bercu. We discuss why Jenny told Bercu’s story via fiction versus nonfiction; where she took creative license and why. How Jenny’s background informed those decisions and shaped the story.  Jenny also shares some of the true anecdotes she encountered during her research. And what it took to go from successful screenplay writer to successful novelist.

About Jenny Lecoat

Born in the Channel Islands, Jenny Lecoat was raised among family who passed down their own stories of life in German occupied Jersey. Jenny dove into screenwriting following early career turns as a stand-up comic and writing features for periodicals.  Her feature film, Another Mother’s Son, was released in 2017.

Continue reading
Fiction, Writers on Writing

May 19: The Woman With The Blue Star by NYT Bestseller Pam Jenoff

May 19, 2021

A testament to the power of friendship & extraordinary will to survive

Today’s guest says, “After 25 years of studying World War II and the Holocaust, when I find a story that makes me gasp, I know I am onto something that will make my readers feel the same way.”

Pam Jenoff returns to Conversations Live to share how Jewish tunnel dwellers, hiding from Nazis, inspired The Woman with the Blue Star. We discuss why Pam had to rewrite her entire first manuscript–and how she did it during the height of a pandemic. How she used the themes of isolation, connection, and unlikely friendships to shape her story. And why she teaches fiction storytelling techniques to her law students.

About Pam Jenoff

Pam Jenoff is the author of 11 novels of historical fiction, including the international bestseller The Kommandant’s Girl. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international affairs, a master’s in history, and a JD. Jenoff’s novels are inspired by her experiences working at the Pentagon and as a diplomat for the State Department handling Holocaust issues in Poland.

Continue reading
Fiction, History, Writers on Writing

MAR 17: The Girl From the Channel Islands with NYT Bestselling Author Jenny Lecoat

March 17, 2021

Inspired by the true story of a young Jewish woman trapped on the Isle of Jersey under Nazi occupation in WWII

Based on her background, maybe Jenny Lecoat’s first novel was destined to start a bidding war and become a New York Times Bestseller.

The Girl From the Channel Islands is based on the true story of Hedy Bercu. We discuss why Jenny told Bercu’s story via fiction versus nonfiction; where she took creative license and why. How Jenny’s background influenced her; and how the book sparked a bidding war with two major publishers.  Jenny also shares some of the true stories she ran into during her research. And what it took to go from successful screenplay writer to successful novelist.

About Jenny Lecoat

Born in the Channel Islands, Jenny Lecoat grew up with family who passed down their own stories of life in German occupied Jersey. Following an early career in stand-up comedy, and writing features for periodicals, she became a screenwriter. Jenny Lecoat’s feature film Another Mother’s Son was released in 2017.

Continue reading
Creativity, Fiction, History, Writers on Writing

MAR 25: James Rollins & The Last Odyssey

March 25, 2020

Vicki welcomes back for the fourth time #1 New York Times Bestselling author James Rollins to discuss the 15th novel in his popular Sigma Force series.  Blending historical fact and science fiction with the suspense of a thriller, The Last Odyssey is described as the thinking readers fiction.

Today we’ll talk about how some of the history and James’ travels inspired the story.  We’ll also separate a little fact from fiction, and take a sneak peek at a new book of short fiction coming later in the year.

James Rollins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers, translated into more than forty languages, with more than 25 million copies sold.  A practicing veterinarian, Rollins has pursued scuba, spelunking, and other adventures around the world, and currently lives and writes in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

 

Continue reading
Fiction, Health & Wellness, Memoir, Non Fiction, Personal Development

JUN 10: Julie Berry’s Lovely War & The Detox Professor David Getoff

June 8, 2019

Julie Berry joins us to discuss Lovely War and what it would like to be a young girl in love with a soldier during the Great War.

Julie holds a BS from Rensselaer in communication and an MFA from Vermont College in writing for children and young adults.   In the decade since she published her first novel, she has won numerous awards for her young adult fiction.

Next, if you are ever confused by conflicting information regarding diet, exercise, and nutrition, Detox Professor David Getoff joins us to clear up some common misconceptions.

David Getoff is a board certified clinical nutritionist- internationally recognized expert in nutrition, diet, the use of nutritional supplements and detoxification. He has lectured at dozens of scientific medical, nutritional, dental and agricultural conferences across the United States and is the author of Abundant Health in a Toxic World.

Continue reading
Fiction, Women's Issues, Writers on Writing

MAY 27: Summer Reads from Kristina McMorris, Kristan Higgins, & Lori Foster

May 23, 2019

“2 children for sale” reads the sign sitting on a farmhouse porch in 1931.  The sign is a last resort, but could be found anywhere in an era of breadlines, bank runs, and broken dreams.  Sold on a Monday author Kristina McMorris discusses how she weaves historical fact into fiction to create a powerful and compelling story.

Kristina is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her novels have garnered more than two dozen prestigious awards and nominations.

Next, Kristan Higgins admits that most of her books have a dog in them , her logic being that life without a dog is pretty lonely to contemplate.  Her latest novel is Good Luck with That, a story of two women on a journey to self-acceptance.

Kristan is a New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of 18 novels, and recipient of dozens of awards for her writing.

Finally, Lori Foster joins talks about the first novel in her Summer Resort Series, Cooper’s Charm, a tale of two sisters and how a summer in a lakeside resort brings redemption and healing.

Lori  is a New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than 100 titles.  She is the recipient of the prestigious RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Fantasy, and for Contemporary Romance.

Continue reading
Fiction, Writers on Writing

MAR 25: Steve Berry’s The Malta Exchange, Kris Frieswick’s The Ghost Manuscript, & Elise Hooper’s Learning to See

March 8, 2019

Today, Vicki chats with three authors who weave historical twists with fictional tales to create suspenseful page turners!

First, returning guest Steve Berry is noted for his mastery of blending fiction and history into a cocktail of intrigue and deception.  The Malta Exchange, The latest in his best-selling Cotton Malone series, finds the titular character caught in a web of Vatican intrigue that involves the Knights of Malta and lost documents that could change history.

Steve’s novels have been translated into 40 languages with 20,000,000 copies in 51 countries.

Next, Kris Frieswick’s 20 years of writing experience didn’t prepare her for the journey as she embarked on her first novel.  The Ghost Manuscript is Indiana Jones with a female lead — we see our heroine on a quest to find King Arthur’s tomb that takes readers from Wales, to Boston and eventually to Cape Cod.

Kris is a journalist, editor, humorist, teacher and author whose work has appeared in national magazines, newspapers and books for more than 20 years.

Finally, Seattle based author Elise Hooper gives readers a peek into the life of photographer Dorothea Lange … the woman who captured the real America … in Learning to See.

Elise has taught high school English and history and enjoys highlighting characters in her books who are real woman that have been often overlooked in history books.

Continue reading
Fiction, Humor, Non Fiction, Writers on Writing

MAR 04: Pam Jenoff’s The Lost Girls of Paris & David Morgan’s Monty Python Speaks

February 15, 2019

Many of returning guest Pam Jenoff’s historical novels have been inspired in part by her work in international affairs at the Pentagon and for the State Department. Her latest is set during and right after World War II, exploring the story of a group of young women who risked their lives in the defiance of Nazi oppression.  The Lost Girls of Paris is an essential and timeless story of survival, loyalty, and the power of sisterhood.

Pam is a New York Times bestselling author of specializing in historical fiction.

Monty Python Speaks: The Complete Oral History of Monty Python is a no-holds-barred look at the Pythons’ legendary sketches and films, told through interviews with Monty Python’s founding members, actors, producers, and collaborators.  Author David Morgan reveals the story behind Spamalot: The Musical, the group’s reaction to their resoundingly successful 2014 reunion, and a touching look at the group without Terry Jones after his 2015 diagnosis of dementia.

David is a senior producer for CBSNews.com, and for CBS’ Emmy Award–winning newsmagazine Sunday Morning. He has written about film production and media issues for such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Newsday,  The Hollywood Reporter.

Continue reading
Fiction, Writers on Writing

NOV 05: Marie Lu’s WILDCARD, Lisa Unger’s Under My Skin, & Lou Berney’s November Road

October 22, 2018

#1 New York Times bestseller Marie Lu joins Vicki today to discuss her new book WILDCARD: It’s Time for a Rematch.  She’ll share how her experiences in the gaming industry aid her in creating rich and magnificent worlds that appeal to a wide spectrum of readers.

Marie emigrated to the US from China at 5, and to learn English her mother would make her take new words she learned every week and write a story with them.  She is now a bestselling author with a film deal for her novel, The Young Elites.

Next, throughout her career, Lisa Unger has toed the fine line between literary novels and commercial thrillers, all the while staying on the New York Times bestseller lists and earning critical acclaim.  Her latest book, Under My Skin, was named one of the most anticipated thrillers of the fall.

Lisa is a New York Times and international bestselling, award-winning author of sixteen novels.

Finally, award-winning author Lou Berney captures the precariousness of femininity in November Road.  His latest novel is a thriller, historical fiction, a love story, a work of feminism — above all it’s a compelling piece of storytelling.

Lou Berney is the author of three previous novels, and his short fiction has appeared in publications such as The New Yorker, Ploughshares, and the Pushcart Prize anthology.

 

Continue reading

  • Categories

  • Past Shows