Tag

Books

Fiction, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Jan 28: #1 NYT Bestelling Author Brad Meltzer with The Viper

January 28, 2026

Meltzer’s first thriller in four years … Zig & Nola explore deadly secrets

The Viper – A Zig & Nola Novel with Brad Meltzer

Brad Meltzer‘s two favorite characters are called to resolve a dark and deadly secret in The Viper, Brad’s third book in the Zig and Nola series.

As we expect from Brad Meltzer, the story is full of intrigue from Dover Air Force Base mysteries and witness protection, to veteran mental health, family secrets, and murder.

We discuss character development, some of the fascinating research Brad uncovered, writing across multiple genres, and how he chooses his next creative project. And while he thrills on the page with complex characters and unexpected plot twists, Brad leaves us with simple, yet powerful words of wisdom for today’s chaotic world.

Meet Brad Meltzer

Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod, The Escape Artist, and 11 other bestselling thrillers. He also writes non-fiction books like The JFK Conspiracy, and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series, which he does with Chris Eliopoulos. In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (The Nazi Conspiracy), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award. As the host of Brad Meltzer’s Lost History and Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel, Brad is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag.

Continue reading
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.

Continue reading
History, Journalism, Non Fiction, Writers on Writing

Aug 07: Michael Castleman Shares The Untold Story of Books

August 7, 2024

A Writer’s History of Book Publishing

The Untold Story of Books with author Michael Castleman

Are physical books here to stay? The answer might surprise you. There are so many interesting stories and trails and fun facts in Michael Castleman‘s The Untold Story of Books: A Writer’s History of Book Publishing that we couldn’t put it down. Whether you’re a writer, reader, bibliophile, librarian, publisher, or just interested in how it started and where it’s at stories, we think you’ll enjoy it too.

Michael shares insights into Bestseller Lists; why they don’t tell the whole story and how they can be manipulated. We explore when and why book dedications began. How a machine designed for pressing olive oil changed the publishing industry, and what that meant for scribes and authors. We also peek into traditional versus independent (indi) and self publishing. How the digital revolution and AI impacted the industry – and where Michael sees it all going.

Meet Author Michael Castleman

Michael Castleman is a journalist and author of bestselling books on sexuality, health, and the history of book publishing. He also writes fiction. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Michigan, Michael Castleman earned an M.A. in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism. He has lived in San Francisco since 1975.

Continue reading
Career, Creativity, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Professional Development

Jul 26: How Tiny Changes Can Recreate Your Life with Sam Bennett. Dump Your Inner Critic with Mark Coleman

July 26, 2023

Live a Better, More Fulfilling Life Based on Who You Really Are & Finally Get What You Really Want

Podcast Sam Bennett with How Little Changes Can Make A Big Difference. Mark Coleman with How Mindfulness Can Free You From Your Inner Critic

Our guest experts share timeless advice to help move you towards a better, more authentic life, & accomplish things that are important to you. *

Sam Bennett found herself distressed and depressed 20-some years ago. She’d lost her mojo, and none of the tools or advice shared by well-meaning friends helped her find it – that is until she cherry-picked the best ideas and adapted them to suit her own dreams.

Sam shares 66 of her tools in Start Right Where You Are: How Little Changes Can Make a Big Difference for Overwhelmed Procrastinators, Frustrated Overachievers, and Recovering Perfectionists.

What does your inner critic sound like? What does it say to you? How does it make you feel? And most importantly, how do you allow it to control your life and define who you are?

Mark Coleman offers great practical advice, to help stop the negative chatter that’s holding you back, in Make Peace with Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You from Your Inner Critic.

About Sam Bennett & Mark Coleman

Sam Bennett created The Organized Artist Company to help creative people get unstuck and achieve their goals. She is a writer, actor, teacher, and creativity/productivity specialist who has counseled thousands of artists and entrepreneurs on their way to success.

Mark Coleman is the founder of the Mindfulness Institute and has guided students on five continents as a corporate consultant, counselor, meditation teacher, and wilderness guide.

*Note: Events mentioned during this podcast were valid only during dates stated in original broadcast.
Continue reading
Non Fiction, Personal Development, Psychology, Self-help

May 17: How to Rekindle Your Child’s Motivation with Dr. Ellen Braaten

May 17, 2023

Bright Kids Who Couldn’t Care Less

Bright Kids with author Dr. Ellen Braaten

If you’re confused by a child in your life who has lost interest in things they once enjoyed and doesn’t seem to care about anything, you’re not alone. In today’s post-pandemic world, we’re seeing children and adults struggle to regain the motivation they once had. This is particularly challenging for anyone with learning differences, as they try to catch up.

From Dr. Ellen Braaten’s new book, Bright Kids Who Couldn’t Care Less: How to Rekindle Your Child’s Motivation, we discuss how stress and anxiety can play into this. Why ADHD is more common than you may think. How a formula that Dr. Braaten terms the Parenting App can help focus recovery. How to meet your child exactly where they are today. And how to find more help if you need it.

About Dr. Ellen Braaten

Ellen Braaten, PhD, is widely recognized for her expertise in pediatric neuropsychological and psychological assessment, particularly in the areas of assessing learning disabilities and attentional disorders. Dr. Braaten is Executive Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, and Visiting Professor at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. She has been affiliated with MGH and HMS since 1998.

Continue reading
Essays, Memoir, Non Fiction, Writers on Writing

Nov 09: Peter Orner – Still No Word From You: Notes in the Margin

November 9, 2022

Observations on books, stories, poems, and life by the author of Am I Alone Here?

He’s known as a writer’s writer, a triple threat — novelist, short story master, and prolific essayist. But if you ask Peter Orner what he really wants readers to take away from his work, it’s connection.

Still No Word from You: Notes in the Margin melds intimate stories from the lived life and reading life. We discuss how Peter’s stories are often built around small moments;  how he knows which moments will make a great story. Living the writer’s life. What challenges Peter as a writer, and more.

About Peter Orner

The author of two novels and several story collections, Peter Orner‘s work has appeared in The Best American Short Stories, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Paris Review, and more. His previous essay collection, Am I Alone Here? Notes on Living to Read and Reading to Live, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism. Peter Orner is a 3-time recipient of the Pushcart Prize and has received numerous awards including a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a Fulbright in Namibia. He is currently the director of creative writing at Dartmouth College.

Continue reading
Career, Creativity, Personal Development, Self-help

Aug 24: Push Past The Final 8th and Accomplish Your Goals

August 24, 2022

Tap Into the Most Powerful Resource You Have to Accomplishing Your Goals: Your Inner Selves

Why is it that the final hill to achieving a goal is often the most difficult to climb? Bridgit Dengel Gaspard helps you cross the finish line in The Final 8th: Enlist Your Inner Selves to Accomplish Your Goals.

You’ll learn why our inner selves frequently have competing motives. Why symptoms such as body aches and insomnia could be caused by inner selves that don’t communicate verbally. Bridgit also shres tools and resources to help you stop self-sabotaging.

About Bridgit Dengel Gaspard

Bridgit Dengel Gaspard is a therapist, coach, and master facilitator of voice dialogue. She’s led workshops for the Omega Institue, the National Association of Social Workers, the Actors Fund, and others. A former performer and comic, Bridgit has a private practice in New York where she specializes in helping clients overcome creativity blocks, transitions, and being stuck short of the finish line. The Final 8th: Enlist Your Inner Selves to Accomplish Your Goals is Bridgit’s first book.

Continue reading
Fiction, Writers on Writing

Jul 27: #1 NYT Bestselling Novelist Susan Wiggs with Sugar and Salt

July 27, 2022

Everyone has a past. It’s who you are now that matters.

A long-time listener favorite joins us with a great new story just in time for summer. Sugar and Spice takes us back to Perdita Street (introduced in The Lost and Found Bookshop) with a tale of family, friendship, redemption, and love.

Susan Wiggs is known for weaving women’s issues into her storylines, and Sugar and Spice is no exception — including abortion, sexual abuse, and racism. Today we find out how Susan gets in the right headspace to write those challenging scenes. How she approaches writing multiple timelines. And how has she learned to draw readers into her books from page one.

About Susan Wiggs

Susan Wiggs is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She’s authored more than 50 novels including the Lakeshore Chronicles series and the New York Times bestsellers The Lost and Found Bookshop, The Oysterville Sewing Circle, and Family Tree. Her award-winning books have been translated into two dozen languages.  Susan lives with her family on an island in Washington State’s Puget Sound.

 

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
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.

Continue reading

  • Categories

  • Past Shows