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Novel

Fiction, Writers on Writing

MAY 26: Joani Elliott with The Audacity of Sara Grayson

May 26, 2021

“Do that thing that makes you feel alive.”

JOANI ELLIOTT believes in the magic of stories, a good cup of tea, and the power of living a creative life. So maybe it’s no surprise that her debut novel is about a writer who’s just landed the toughest assignment of her life.

Joani shares great insight into her creative journey, and some of the challenges she faced, while writing her debut novel. Like her willingness as a writer to step into the unknown. Why this former academic had to learn to tap into her own emotions, to gain the truth of her emotional scenes. How she came to terms with the messy process of writing…and more.

About Joani Elliott

Joani Elliott taught writing at the University of Maryland and Brigham Young University. The Audacity of Sara Grayson is her first novel. Find book club resources, virtual author chats, and more at joanielliott.com.

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Fiction, History, Thriller, Writers on Writing

FEB 24: Steve Berry with The Kaiser’s Web

February 24, 2021

New York Times & #1 International Bestselling Author

Steve Berry returns to Conversations Live with his latest book, which happens to be #16 in the Cotton Malone Series, and Berry’s 20th novel — The Kaiser’s Web. When a secret dossier from a World War II-era Soviet spy is exposed, it could rewrite history and impact Germany’s upcoming national elections, forever changing the political landscape of Europe.

Since Steve is an avid historian and travels extensively for his research, how is he handling pandemic restrictions? How did this impact background material  for The Kaiser’s Web? And what is Steve’s most important piece of marketing advice for authors?

About Steve Berry

History lies at the heart of every Steve Berry novel. His title’s include The Kaiser’s Web, The Warsaw Protocol, The Malta Exchange, and others. Berry’s books have been translated into 41 languages with 25,000,000 copies in 52 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times,USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists. And in 2010, a NPR survey named The Templar Legacy one of the top 100 thrillers ever written.

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Fiction

JAN 27: A Rainbow Like You with Andrea Fehsenfeld

January 27, 2021

A rock star with everything to prove. A teen stowaway with nothing to lose.

How did Andrea Fehsenfeld‘s love of music and interest in synesthesia inspire the story of a troubled rock legend returning to the stage?

A Rainbow Like You is a tale of hope, healing, and the power of home. Today Andrea shares where her inspiration came from and how she developed her musical protagonist. What makes good dialogue. Her favorite scenes to write. And why she wrote her first song for the novel.

About Andrea Fehsenfeld

Andrea Fehsenfeld is an author and award-winning TV producer. A Rainbow Like You is her second novel and was voted A Best BC Book of 2020. Her debut novel Completion is currently being adapted for television.

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Fiction

JAN 13: Brad Taylor with American Traitor, a Pike Logan Novel

January 13, 2021

New York Times Bestselling Author of Hunter Killer

Could China deliberately trick Taiwan into starting a full blown war by destabilizing its government and manipulating artificial intelligence defense systems?  Will Pike Logan find the man about to betray his country before it’s too late?

Returning guest, Brad Taylor, shares his experience writing American Traitor. We touch on Brad’s research, where he traveled, favorite spots, and surprises. He shares his favorite scenes to write. How he keeps his two protagonists fresh and evolving. And how growing up in rural Texas influenced Brad’s life.

About Brad Taylor

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Brad Taylor is a 21-year veteran of the US Army Infantry and Special Forces, including eight years with the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment—Delta Force. Brad Taylor has written 14 New York Times bestsellers, and consults with various agencies on asymmetric security threats.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

MAY 13: Love, Death, and Rare Books by Robert Hellenga

May 13, 2020

Award winning writer, Robert Hellenga, joins us with his eighth novel, Love, Death, and Rare Books. BOOKLIST describes the story as “... an ode to physical books, their smell and feel, but also to the idea of both living life and reading about it, not choosing one over the other.”

Robert’s been writing for 40 years about love and loss, so what does he know now that he wishes he’d known when he first began his writing journey?  How did the Italian men who worked for his father influence him as a child? And what did he learn about the rare book business during his story research? He’ll answer these questions and more today.

Robert Helenga’s many accolades range from The Pen Syndicated Fiction Award, to the Washington Post “Best Novels of 2010″, and the Society of Midland Authors 2015 fiction award. Hellenga is professor emeritus at Knox College in Galesburg, where he taught for many years.

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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.

 

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

JAN 15: The Body Outside the Kremlin with James L. May

January 15, 2020

For our Writers On Writing Series, James L. May, author of The Body Outside The Kremlin joins us with what Publisher’s Weekly calls a “richly evocative first novel…gripping…thriller deserves high marks…for historical detail about a prison that served as a key link in the gulag chain.”

We discuss the history of the White Sea Solovetsky Islands and Russia’s renowned concentration camp. How and why this sparked the location and set the scene for his murder mystery. His favorite scenes to write. Most surprising research. What James knows now, that he wish he’d understood when he began writing his book. Does his work as a reviewer inform or hinder his own creativity? And is it worth doing an MFA in Creative Writing?

James L. May’s short fiction has appeared in Tigertail, and he reviews fiction for The Florida Book Review, Gulf Stream Literary Magazine, and New Orleans Review.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

JAN 08: NYT Bestselling Action Thriller Author Brad Taylor & Hunter Killer

January 8, 2020

 With 13 Pike Logan action thrillers hitting the New York Times Bestsellers list, author Brad Taylor says no one is more than surprised than him. He always wanted to write but never had time until his final military assignment at The Citadel.

Set in Brazil, Hunter Killer is the 14th in the hit series—hot off the presses January 7th.  Today Brad shares his POV on writing and why he broke the rules, developing strong protagonists, the scenes he loves to craft, and the challenges of writing.

Brad Taylor, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) is a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army Infantry and Special Forces, including eight years with the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment (Delta Force). He continues to consult with various agencies on asymmetric security threats.

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Fiction, Social Issues, Women's Issues, Writers on Writing

NOV 06: Eileen Pollack’s The Professor of Immortality

November 6, 2019

Inspired by the true story of the Unabomber, Eileen Pollack’s fictional Technobomber is an incel archetype.  His anger at the ways in which technology is destroying the environment and ruining the quality of human existence couples with a deep loneliness and inner rage at being unable to find love, driving him over the edge.  The Professor of Immortality raises concerns about the people designing future technology and how it will affect our everyday lives.

Eileen is a writer whose novel Breaking and Entering, about the deep divisions between blue and red America, was named a 2012 New York Times Editor’s Choice selection. She also is the author of five novels, two collections of short stories.  Her work has appeared in Best American Short Stories, Pushcart Prizes, and Best American Essays.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

OCT 21: A.F. Brady’s Once A Liar & Robyn Carr’s The View From Alameda Island

October 18, 2019

Eleven times #1 New York Times bestselling author, Robyn Carr, joins us with The View from Alameda Island.  You’ll hear why, despite Robyn’s success as a writer, her daughter most admires Robyn’s humility. And from Robyn’s perspective, we’ll hear what it’s like writing sex scenes, knowing your daughter’s going to read them.  How she sets those scenes up, why they’re important to romance and women’s fiction. And what Robyn says to readers who wish she’d skip the sex scenes.

Dozens of millions of Robyn’s books have been sold around the world, and translated into more than 19 languages.  

Also joining us, A.F. Brady, New York State licensed mental health counselor and psychotherapist turned novelist.

Brady’s long career in mental healthcare provides her with an abundance of material for creating the perfect sociopathic character, in her second novel, Once A Liar.  When a character is so cold, distant, and dastardly, what makes the reader stick with him?  We’ll find out today!

Tune in at noon PT / 3 pm ET on Seattle’s KKNW am1150 and FM 98.9HD3. Or online, from anywhere in the world, at https://1150kknw.com/ … hope you’ll join us!

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