Tag

India

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.

Continue reading
Fiction, Thriller, Writers on Writing

May 21: Brad Taylor’s Back with a New Pike Logan Novel — Into the Gray Zone

May 21, 2025

Pike Logan uncovers a geopolitical scheme, spiraled out of control.

Into the Gray Zone with author Brad Taylor

Today we discuss the latest pulse-pounding thriller from New York Times bestselling author and former special forces officer Brad Taylor, Into the Gray Zone.

Where did Brad’s story ideas begin? With real life news, a lot of research, a trip to India, and a vivid imagination based on his indepth knowledge of military threats, covert operations, hybrid warfare, and special forces experience.

We talk about some of the topics of Into the Gray Zone, including Sikh revolutionaries, rare earth minerals, 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.

Continue reading
Fiction, Writers on Writing

JUL 21: Alka Joshi’s New Novel – The Secret Keeper of Jaipur

July 21, 2021

NYT Bestselling of Author of The Henna Artist

Set in India, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur is a tale of loyalty, ambition, and love that plunges readers back into the world of The Henna Artist – a world of power, money, and secrets.

Today, returning guest ALKA JOSHI shares detailed insight into the culture and traditions of India, that richly permeate her novels. We discuss creativity and how she approaches her work. Why, unlike many authors, she doesn’t consider a writing routine important. And – as a marketing and PR expert – Alka shares her best advice to authors and creatives about getting your work into the world.

About Alka Joshi

Born in Jodhpur, India, ALKA JOSHI has lived in the U.S. since she was nine-years-old. A Stanford University graduate, Alka worked in advertising and PR before starting her own marketing consultancy. In 2011, she earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the California College of Arts in San Francisco, California. The Secret Keeper of Jaipur is Alka Joshi’s second novel.

Continue reading
Arts, Fiction, Writers on Writing

JUN 10: Alka Joshi with The Henna Artist

June 10, 2020

Today Vicki chats with author Alka Joshi about her new book The Henna Artist.  Alka shares some of the intimate details of her relationship with her mother that led her to develop the main character in the book, and reveals the cultural traditions and legacies of India in the process.  She also shares her own personal story of what it’s like to be a nine year old immigrant in a strange and new culture.

Born in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India, Alka has lived in the U.S. since the age of nine. She graduated from Stanford University and worked in the fields of advertising and PR before starting her own marketing consultancy. In 2011, she obtained her MFA in Creative Writing from the California College of Arts in San Francisco, California. The Henna Artist is her first novel. 

Alka shares her writing and publishing process on her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqNLMIc32Z-y4hzkiE3o6rQ

Continue reading
Fiction, Writers on Writing

APR 02: Jamey Bradbury’s The Wild Inside, Veera Hiranandani’s The Night Diary, &

March 22, 2018

Jamey Bradbury, winner of the Estelle Campbell Memorial Award from the National Society of Arts and Letters, debuts her electrifying novel set in the Alaskan wilderness.  The Wild Inside is a fusion of psychological horror and coming-of-age tale, based in the world of dog-sled racing.  John Irving praises it as an ” … unusual love story and a creepy horror novel … think of the Brontë sisters and Stephen King.”

Based in Anchorage, AK, Jamey’s work has appeared in Black Warrior Review (winner of the annual fiction contest), Sou’wester, and Zone 3.   The Wild Inside is her first novel.

Next, Veera Hiranandani calls upon her father and his family’s journey for inspiration in The Night Diary.  The partition of India in 1947 spawned vicious xenophobia and caused the upheaval of more than 14 million lives overnight in what is known to be the single largest human migration in history.

Veera is a former book editor at Simon & Schuster, she now teaches creative writing at Sarah Lawrence College’s Writing Institute.

And we’ll also be joined by Matt Killeen to discuss Orphan Monster Spy, a tale of a blonde, blue-eyed Jewish girl in 1939 Germany, whose act of resistance is about to change the world.

Hailing from Vicki’s home town of Birmingham, England, Matt attempted to make a living as an advertising copywriter and music and sports journalist, and now writes for the world’s best loved toy company.

 

Continue reading

  • Categories

  • Past Shows