Show Schedule | CONVERSATIONS LIVE with VICKI ST. CLAIR | Talk Radio to Inspire, Inform, Stimulate.

Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Writers on Writing, Young Adult Fiction

Aug 13: Hayley Krischer’s You Belong to Me

August 13, 2025

What if living your best life had deadly consequences?

You Belong to Me with author Hayley Krischer

Teens and adults alike are captivated by Hayley Krischer’s latest gripping YA novel. You Belong to Me is a dark, atmoshperic, emotionally charged story where the stakes are high and hit too close to home.

Hayley reveals the dark side of the wellness industry, a multi-trillion dollar economy encompassing many false claims and scams.

We look at why Hayley’s favorite characters were inspired by followers of an infamous cult (think Charles Manson). The challenges of pace in plot, and how she develops characters to meet it. And some of the themes at the heart of You Belong to Me such as the need to belong, and what it means to trust yourself.

Meet Hayley Krischer

Hayley Krischer is an award-winning journalist who has written for the The New York Times, The Atlantic, Elle and more. She has an MFA from Lesley University. Her books include fiction and nonficiton. Find out more at her website.

Fiction, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Aug 06: Brad Taylor Returns with Into the Gray Zone

August 6, 2025

Pike Logan is in India to expose a geopolitical scheme gone awry

Into the Gray Zone with author Brad Taylor

Former Special Forces officer turned New York Times bestseller Brad Taylor is back to discuss his latest pulse-pounding thriller in the Pike Logan series, Into the Gray Zone.

As he develops new ideas, Brad puts his vast knowledge of military threats, hybrid warfare, and covert operations to work. Coupled with endless research, a trip to India, and a vivid imagination, Brad stories are crafted with stunning realism, even incorporating real-life news.

Today, we talk about some of the topics of Into the Gray Zone, including Sikh revolutionaries, rare earth minerals, and Brad’s travels in India. A little about writing. And what’s not in the news, that should be.

Meet Brad Taylor

A veteran of the US Army infantry and Special Forces, including eight years with Delta Force, Brad Taylor retired as Lieutenant Colonel, in 2010, after 21 years of service, including participation in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He’s written 17 NYT bestsellers and consults on asymmetric security threats for various agencies. Today we’re talking about his 19th book, Into The Gray Zone.

Fiction, Historical, Mystery, Writers on Writing

Jul 30: Martha’s Vineyard Book & Beach Club

July 30, 2025

Martha Hall Kelly’s love letter to literature, resilient women and a very special island.

Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club with author Martha Hall Kelly

Martha Hall Kelly weaves fiction with reality in Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club, a story about a contemporary mystery that can only be solved by learning about the past. Kelly taps into her mother’s family history for her latest novel, making this her most personal work to date.

The story reveals little-known facts of what transpired on Martha’s Vineyard during WWII—that German U-boats cruised the surrounding waters, and Nazi spies snuck ashore. The novel centers on two sisters who alter history when they start a book club.

We discuss Martha’s journey getting into the head of a woman who came of age in WWII on Martha’s Vineyard. She shares her challenges in crafting the story. We dissect the power of storytelling through some of the literature discussed at the Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club.

Meet Martha Hall Kelly

Martha Hall Kelly is the New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls, Lost Roses, Sunflower Sisters, and The Golden Doves. She was born and raised in Massachusetts, received Journalism degrees from Syracuse and Northwestern Universities, and worked as an advertising copywriter for many years before becoming a novelist. With more than two million copies of her books sold and translated in 50 countries, Martha lives in Litchfield, CT, Hobe Sound, FL, and New York City.

Fiction, Historical, Writers on Writing

Jul 23: Heather Clark’s Debut Novel: The Scrapbook

July 23, 2025

Inspired by original photos from WWII taken by the author’s grandfather

The Scrapbook with author Heather Clark

Join us with award-winning biographer Heather Clark who discusses her debut novel, The Scrapbook – a story of an intense first love, formed in the shadows of Germany’s dark history, and cross-cultural deep-rooted family legacies.

Heather shares how her novel was inspired by the startling photos Heather Clark found in her own grandfather’s WWII scrapbook.

We explore how an established biographer approaches writing a novel for the first time; some of the research that surprised Heather. Why this isn’t a typical WWII novel. And some of the style choices Heather Clark made as an author.

Meet Heather Clark

Heather Clark is a biographer, literary critic, and novelist. Her recent awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Truman Capote Award for Literary Criticism, the Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize, a National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholars fellowship, a New York Public Library Cullman Center Fellowship, and a Leon Levy Center for Biography Fellowship at the City University of New York. She is the author of Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath. The Scrapbook is Clark’s debut novel.

History, Journalism, Non Fiction

Jul 16: Russell Shorto’s Taking Manhattan

July 16, 2025

The Astonishing Events that Created New York and Shaped America’s Future

Taking Manhattan with author Russell Shorto

What could $24 worth of beads and trinkets get you in 1626? How about the entire island of Manhattan. It’s no secret the Dutch brokered that deal with the Indigenous inhabitants, but often overlooked is the history behind the English seizure of the island, turning New Amsterdam into New York and changing the course of American history.

Tackling the challenge of researching this little known but pivotal moment in our history is author, investigative journalist, and historian Russell Shorto. Today we explore the fascinating details and meet some of the key characters integral to the transition. Russell paints a picture that’s maybe less about seizure, and more about collaboration between two parties who once pointed cannons at each other.

Meet Russell Shorto

Russell Shorto is the best-selling author of eight books, including Smalltime, Revolution Song, Amsterdam, and The Island at the Center of the World. He is the director of the New Amsterdam Project at the New York Historical and senior scholar at the New Netherland Institute.

Fiction, Women's, Writers on Writing

Jul 09: Adriana Trigiani with The View From Lake Como

July 9, 2025

One woman’s quest to build her own life … before it’s too late.

The View From Lake Como with author Adriana Trigiani

When Jess Capodimonte Baratta realizes she’s not living even close to the life she dreamed of, she takes us from Lake Como, New Jersey, to Lake Como, Italy, in search of new possibilities.

Adriana Trigiani discusses her latest novel The View From Lake Como.

Known for her American-Italian storytelling, humor, and rich character development, Adriana shares how her protagonist was inspired by her late grandmother. We discuss her biggest challenge in writing the story. And some of the research Adriana did, including marble-making in Italy.

Meet Adriana Trigiani

Adriana Trigiani is the New York Times bestselling author of 21 books of fiction and nonfiction, including The Good Left Undone, The Shoemaker’s Wife and Lucia, Lucia. Her work has been published in 38 languages around the world. An award-winning playwright, television writer/producer, and filmmaker, Trigiani wrote and directed the major motion picture of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap; adapted her novel, Very Valentine, for television; and directed the award-winning documentary, Queens of the Big Time, among others.

History, Journalism, Memoir, Non Fiction, Writers on Writing

Jul 02: John Seabrook with The Spinach King

July 2, 2025

The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty

The Spinach King with author John Seabrook

As heir to the complicated C. F. Seabrook legacy, longtime New Yorker staff writer John Seabrook confronts his family’s extraordinary story in THE SPINACH KING: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty.

In a spellbinding tale of money, ambition, succession, and immense power, Seabrook breaks through his family’s carefully cultivated façade, revealing long-held secrets of greed, corruption, and exploitation.

We discuss why John Seabrook felt an obligation to turn his meticulous investigative reporting skills inward, upending the narrative he grew up with. How he stayed objective after discovering the level of deceit within his ancestry. And how he balanced reporting as a journalist, with great storytelling.

Meet John Seabrook

John Seabrook has been a staff writer at The New Yorker for more than three decades. He is the author of The Song Machine, Flash of Genius, Nobrowand other books. The film “Flash of Genius” was based on one of his stories. He and his family live in Brooklyn.

Fiction, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Jun 25: Ryan Steck with Gone Dark

June 25, 2025

As Montana goes up in flames, former marine raider Matt Redd isn’t looking for trouble, but it sure finds him.

Gone Dark with author Ryan Steck

Join Vicki with bestselling thriller author Ryan Steck, who celebrates the release of Gone Dark, the fourth installment in his exciting Matthew Redd series.

As smoke jumpers brave Montana wildfires, Matt Redd receives an unexpected call that leads him to protect a terrified young witness, confront a medical crisis linked to opioids, and face institutional corruption with a bombshell connection to Big Pharma.

Ryan Steck is known for blending intense action with emotional stakes. We dig into his approach to the writing craft, research, character evolution. And what it takes to write a thriller pulsating with authenticity.

Meet Ryan Steck

Ryan Steck is a freelance editor, author, and founder and editor-in-chief of The Real Book Spy. Ryan has been named an “Online Influencer” by Amazon and is a regular columnist at CrimeReads. He also coauthors with other novelists and continues the late Ted Bell’s legacy by authoring new books in the Alex Hawke series. Gone Dark is the latest in Steck’s Matt Redd Thriller series.

Fiction, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Jun 18: Robert Bailey with The Boomerang

June 18, 2025

A Desperate Fight for Family Uncloaks a Shocking Government Secret

The Boomerang with author Robert Bailey

Robert Bailey calls on his own personal challenges as well as a jarring conspiracy theory for inspiration in his exhilarating political thriller, The Boomerang.

The story follows Chief of Staff Eli James, who also happens to be best friends with the President of the United States. Upon the President’s terminal cancer mysteriously improving, Eli journey’s from the White House to New Mexico as he unravels a devastating cover-up involving the government and Big Pharma.

We discuss all of this, as well as Robert’s own journey with his family’s issues; writing The Boomerang; character development, and more.

Meet Robert Bailey

Robert Bailey is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of THE BOOMERANG, the Jason Rich series, the McMurtrie and Drake legal thrillers, the Bocephus Haynes series, and the inspirational novel, THE GOLFER’S CAROL. Robert’s books are imbued with a keen sense of justice and a profound understanding of what drives people to commit the worst crimes and fight hardest for those they love, gained from his decades as a civil defense trial lawyer in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama.

Conservation, Nature, Non Fiction, Science

Jun 11: Grass Isn’t Greener with Danae Wolfe

June 11, 2025

Bringing Nature to Your Own Backyard

Grass Isn’t Greener with author Danae Wolfe

Photographer and conservationist Danae Wolfe loves bugs – but it wasn’t love at first sight for her. Today we talk about her beautiful new book Grass Isn’t Greener: The Everyday Conservationist’s Guide to Bringing Nature to Your Yard.

Danae shares small, simple changes that can make your garden less work for you and more inviting for butterflies, birds, and wildlife – as well as better for our environment.

We discuss the benefits of ditching your lawnmower and rewilding that perfect patch of green grass that turns out to be “not so green“, after all. How to create a quick and easy butterfly puddle station. And why invasive plants might be more of a problem than you think.

Meet Danae Wolfe

Danae Wolfe is a macro photographer and conservation educator. In 2015 she founded Chasing Bugs and teaches others about the beauty, diversity, and importance of insects and spiders through photography, public speaking, and writing. Danae’s work has been featured in various outlets including CNN, The American Gardener magazine, and Nature Conservancy magazine. In 2022 Danae received the Garden Communicators International Emergent Communicator award. Danae Wolfe’s new book – full of color photos and quick, easy ways to support nature and rewilding – is Grass Isn’t Greener: The Everyday Conservationist’s Guide to Bringing Nature to Your Yard.

Aug 06: Brad Taylor Returns with Into the Gray Zone

Pike Logan is in India to expose a geopolitical scheme gone awry

Meet Brad Taylor

Jul 30: Martha’s Vineyard Book & Beach Club

Martha Hall Kelly’s love letter to literature, resilient women and a very special island.

Meet Martha Hall Kelly

Jul 23: Heather Clark’s Debut Novel: The Scrapbook

Inspired by original photos from WWII taken by the author’s grandfather

Meet Heather Clark

Jul 16: Russell Shorto’s Taking Manhattan

The Astonishing Events that Created New York and Shaped America’s Future

Meet Russell Shorto

Jul 09: Adriana Trigiani with The View From Lake Como

One woman’s quest to build her own life … before it’s too late.

Meet Adriana Trigiani

Jul 02: John Seabrook with The Spinach King

The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty

Meet John Seabrook

Jun 25: Ryan Steck with Gone Dark

As Montana goes up in flames, former marine raider Matt Redd isn’t looking for trouble, but it sure finds him.

Meet Ryan Steck

Jun 18: Robert Bailey with The Boomerang

A Desperate Fight for Family Uncloaks a Shocking Government Secret

Meet Robert Bailey

Jun 11: Grass Isn’t Greener with Danae Wolfe

Bringing Nature to Your Own Backyard

Meet Danae Wolfe

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