Tag

Author Interview

Creativity, Journalism, Non Fiction, Science

Jun 15: Inspired–Understanding Creativity with Matt Richtel

June 15, 2022

A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul

How do we define creativity? How does it work? Where does inspiration spark? How can we optimize our own creative potential? And what do great creators have to share with us?

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Matt Richtel takes a deep dive into the new science behind creativity and creative minds, and blends it with insight from great creators, and stories of his own. We talk about The Muse and Hope. Why intelligence doesn’t always factor into creativity.  How anyone can become more creative. And more delicious insight from  Inspired: Understanding Creativity, A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul.

About Matt Richtel

An American writer, narrative storyteller, and New York Times Science reporter Matt Richtel was awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for a series on distracted driving. He’s the author of three narrative nonfiction books, several novels, and a daily comic strip. His latest book is Inspired: Understanding Creativity, A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul.

Catch our previous podcast with Matt Richtel right here A Deadly Wandering.

 

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Arts, Creativity, Essays, History, Non Fiction

JUN 08: Movie Historian John DiLeo – There Are No Small Parts

June 8, 2022

100 Outstanding Film Performances with Screen Time of 10 Minutes or Less

Today we dive into a few of the stories in John DiLeo‘s fascinating new book There Are No Small Parts.  And that means we’re heading to the movies – vicariously, through John’s book.

In There Are No Small Parts, film expert DiLeo focuses on 100 amazing performances where actors – including some very big names at the top of their game – were on screen for just 10 minutes or less. Why would big names appear in a film for less than 10 minutes? Tune in to find out!

About John DiLeo

Movie historian John DiLeo is the author of six previous books about classic movies. He has been a frequent participant in the Black Bear Film Festival in Pennsylvania, has conducted onstage interviews with many named actors, and is often heard on Sirius XM radio. As a book reviewer, John DiLeo has contributed frequently to the Washington Post.

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Fiction, Humor

May 11: Unlikely Animals with Annie Hartnett

May 11, 2022

Spirits narrate. Animals talk. Humor, heartache,  love, & a missing girl … a magical tragicom filled with the messiness of family life and death.

Author Annie Hartnett‘s second novel wasn’t going too well. She wasn’t enjoying authoring it and wondered if all second novels were this difficult to write. But as she took a drive through New Hampshire, Annie spotted something that changed the direction of her story and brought Unlikely Animals to life … or raised it from the dead … because the folks in the cemetery narrate the story.

About Annie Hartnett

Annie Hartnett‘s first book, Rabbit Cake, was listed as one of Kirkus Review’s Best Books of 2017 and was a New England Book Award finalist. Annie was awarded fellowships and residencies from the MacDowell Colony, Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library. She holds degrees from the MFA program at the University of Alabama. Information for Book Clubs.

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Journalism, Non Fiction, Social Issues

Apr 27: Why We Fall For Hype with Gabrielle Bluestone

April 27, 2022

How Con Artists, Grifters and Scammers are Taking Over the Internet – & Why We’re Following

Gabrielle Bluestone shares her insights into why scammers do what they do, and why – despite overwhelming evidence calling them out – we blindly believe what we’re told without researching the source.  She says we are at “the natural end of a society primed to trust their own emotions over objective, verifiable facts.” 

From celebrities to politicians, to the little-known, we discuss why we get sucked into their spiel. Where social media and influencers factor in. The rise of cancel culture, where seemingly harmless messaging and soundbites create images that can make or break reputations and campaigns. Why Fyre was the greatest festival that never happened. Where greed plays a role. And why you shouldn’t trust cosmetic surgery photos because even they are often digitally altered.

About Gabrielle Bluestone

A journalist and licensed attorney from New York, Gabrielle Bluestone’s writing has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, New York Observer, Sunday Times Magazine, and more. She’s the Emmy-nominated producer of Netflix’s  documentary Fyre. And the associate producer of Different Flowers, winner of the 2017 Kansas City FilmFest Festival Prize.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

APR 20: Sylvain Neuvel’s Take Them to the Stars Trilogy

April 20, 2022

Until the Last of Me

Author Sylvain Neuvel sold the movie rights to his first book before it was even a book. How did that happen? We share that and much more about Sylvain’s road to literary success in today’s conversation.

We discuss the origins of his Take Them to the Stars Trilogy and how his ideas developed.  We look at book one A History of What Comes Next. And the latest in the trilogy, book two, Until the Last of Me. Sylvain shares how he plots. How he writes from female points of view. And some of the intense research he did to build a believable, yet speculative, world for his characters.

About Sylvain Neuvel

Sylvain Neuvel taught linguistics in India and worked as a software engineer in Montreal. His debut novel Sleeping Giants was described BY NPR as one of the most promising series kickoffs in recent memory. Until the Last of Me is the second and latest book in his Take Them to the Stars trilogy.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

Mar 16: Dinitia Smith with The Prince

March 16, 2022

A modern retelling of The Golden Bowl by Henry James

Inspired by Henry James’ story from 1904, England, The Prince is set in contemporary pre-pandemic times, from a grand mansion on the Upper East Side of Manhattan to a magical private island in Long Island Sound. Everything suggests that the wealthy Woodford family lives an idyllic life. But the reality is quite different.

How did author Dinitia Smith recreate James’ classic novel to make the story and characters her own? She shares what inspired her to reimagine The Golden Bowl, interesting facts  about the golden bowl itself; and why she writes about relationships.

About Dinitia Smith

For 11 years, Dinitia Smith was a reporter at the New York Times where she wrote on literary topics and intellectual trends. She is the author of four previous novels, including The Illusionist, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year.  Dinitia’s won  numerous awards for her writing, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts. She’s also written many short stories published in a wide range of magazines. Dinitia Smith’s Emmy Award winning film, Passing Quietly Through, was chosen for the New York Film Festival, and shown at the Whitney Museum and the Museum of Modern Art.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing, Young Adult Fiction

Mar 08: Sabaa Tahir with deeply personal novel – All My Rage

March 9, 2022

#1 NYT bestselling author of the Ember in the Ashes series

Sabaa Tahir describes All My Rage as the book of her heart. It’s a story that was 15 years in the making, and we find out why during our conversation.

Beginning in Lahore Pakistan, and moving to Juniper California, All My Rage is inspired by Sabba’s childhood growing up in California’s Mojave Desert at her family’s 18-room motel.

Sabaa shares what she means by being an honest writer and how that informs her work. Why she writes young adult fiction. How a playground friendship saved her. What challenges her most as writer. Why hope is important and failure is part of the journey. And why her new novel is called All My Rage.  

About Sabaa Tahir

Sabaa Tahir has been an author since 2015 . Before that, she was a journalist, and wrote her first book while working nights as a a copyeditor. All My Rage has received great reviews  from writers such as Jodi Picoult and Nicola Yoon, and a TV adaptation of the story is currently in the works with Picturestart.

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Fiction, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Feb 09: Brad Taylor with End of Days

February 9, 2022

Book 16  in the NYT Bestselling Pike Logan Series

Listener favorite Brad Taylor returns with his latest Pike Logan thriller, End of Days. While working to solve a brutal murder, taskforce operators Pike Logan and Jennifer Cahill stumble upon the trail of a serial killer loose on the streets of Rome, and follow evidence leading to the exalted Knights of Malta.

We discuss Brad’s biggest challenge in writing End of Days. How – known for his active boots on the ground approach to research – Brad gathered details for End of Days during a pandemic. Why he included Covid. Where and why he took creative license. How Brad’s daughter inspired one of the scenes … and more.

About Brad Taylor

Brad Taylor retired as a Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel after serving 21 years, including including eight years in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – popularly known as Delta Force. He’s the author of 16 New York Times bestselling books including American Traitor, Hunter Killer, and his latest, End of Days.

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Health & Wellness, Non Fiction, Science

Feb 02: Use the New Science of Body Movement to Set Your Mind Free with Caroline Williams

February 2, 2022

Move! by the author of My Plastic Brain

Studies say sitting is the new smoking — and the average American adult spends 70% of their time sitting or lying down. Imagine what that does to your body over time. And now, we know, it also affects your mind and mental health.

In Move! journalist Caroline Williams explores the emerging science of how movement opens up a hotline to our minds. Interviewing Nobel prize winning scientists, yoga gurus, and practitioners of all kinds of movement, she reveals that while going to the gym is great, it’s not necessarily the best or only solution.

Today we discuss how core strength is linked to stress and anxiety control. Why stretching can override the mood-sapping effects of an overactive immune system. What dance can do for our emotional literacy. Why physical strength translates into emotional resilience … and more.

About Caroline Williams

Science journalist Caroline Williams says “I like talking almost as much as I like writing”, and over the years she has produced and presented radio programs and reports for the BBC, across Science, Natural History, and Children’s Radio. She has more than 20 years of experience in science journalism and writes regularly for New Scientist magazine, Her work’s been featured in the Boston Globe, BBC Earth, the Guardian, and more. She was  also co-presenter of the New Scientist podcast. Move! How the Science of Body Movement Can Set Your Mind Free is Caroline’s second book.

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Business, Non Fiction, Personal Development

Jan 26: A Roadmap to Realizing Your Personal & Professional Leadership Potential

January 26, 2022

Book Boundless Leadership Joe Loizzo and Elazar AslanBoundless Leadership: The Breakthrough Method to Realize Your Vision, Empower Others, & Ignite Positive Change

A recent study showed that the average human attention span is about eight seconds. That means that our average length of concentration on one detail is less than that of a goldfish — goldfish can concentrate for nine whole seconds!

If that doesn’t alarm you, it at least explains why we work harder than ever, yet seem to accomplish less and feel less fulfilled. Joe Loizzo and Elazar Aslan joins us to reveal how we can turn that around. They share the 5 Truths of Boundless Leadership, the 4 Qualities of Heart. And discuss how we can reimagine and rewire, our mind and body, to be our best selves.

About Joe Loizzo and Elazar Aslan

JOE LOIZZO, MD, PhD is a contemplative psychotherapist, a clinical researcher, and Buddhist scholar-teacher. On the faculty at the Weill Cornell Medical College and the Columbia University Center for Buddhist Studies, he lectures widely on the role of meditative learning in the future of health, education, and leadership.

ELAZAR ASLAN, MBA, PCC is an executive advisor, speaker, and entrepreneur. After a successful career as a business executive, he became a professional coach over a decade ago, bringing his meditative practice and leadership principles to corporations including Chase, D&B, MasterCard, and American Express.

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