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Podcast

Animals, Humor, Non Fiction, Science

Sep 11: Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice with Your Pets’ Secret Lives

September 11, 2024

The Truth Behind Your Pets’ Wildest Behaviors

Your Pets’ Secret Lives with author Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice

Think your dog feels guilty? That your bird lives drama-free? Or that your cat hunts only mice and birds? Think again. While many of us see our pets as family members, our pets see the world in a very different way.

In Your Pets’ Secret Lives: The Truth Behind Your Pets Wildest Behaviors Eleanor Spicer Rice shakes your pets’ family trees, dives into their brains, and sometimes hitches a ride on their poops to discover the meaning behind some of our animal friends’ wildest behaviors.

Meet Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice

Eleanor Spicer Rice, PhD, is an entomologist and the author of many nonfiction books, including Your Hidden Life: Unseen Jungle and Dr. Eleanor’s Book of Common Spiders. ​Eleanor is also the senior science editor at Verdant Word, a science communication company she co-founded with Robin Sutton Anders. She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband, sons, dogs, hermit crabs, an assortment of spiders and insects, and a small, valiant flock of homing pigeons.

Your Pets’ Secret Lives was illustrated by Rob Wilson, an award-winning illustrator and graphic designer who has created work for the Washington Post, New York magazine, the Wall Street Journal, Mother Jones, and the covers of best-selling books. He is the illustrator of Your Hidden Life: Unseen Jungle and the creator of the icon for the popular podcast Welcome to Night Vale. Rob Wilson’s work has been featured in galleries in London and New York City.

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Health & Wellness, Non Fiction, Science, Self-help

Sep 04: Brain Doctor’s 8-Week Plan to Focus Your Mind, Reduce Stress, Avoid Burnout

September 4, 2024

Dr Romie Mushtaq shares The Busy Brain Cure

The Busy Brain Cure with author Dr. Romie Mushtaq

At the peak of success as a neurologist, Dr. Romie Mushtaq suffered major burnout. “As a brain doctor,” she says “I should have known better.”

As if burnout wasn’t enough, Dr. Romie also needed life-saving surgery, and that gave her the wake up call she needed. Her quest to make significant and lasting change sent her on a global journey, searching for solutions to heal the many negative impacts of stress on our brains, bodies, spirits, and teams.

As we discuss The Busy Brain Cure: The Eight Week Plan to Find Focus, Tame Anxiety, & Sleep Again, discover why she says you should ditch diets, forget cleanses – and occasionally, why it’s okay to embrace comfort food to calm stress. We share how to reduce dependencies on caffeine by day, and sleep aids at night. Dr. Romie also shares how to remedy the root cause of ADHD, anxiety, and insomnia without addictive medications.

About Dr. Romie Mushtaq, Neurologist & Author

A board-certified physician, award-winning wellness speaker, and the founder of brainSHIFT, Dr. Romie Mushtaq combines more than 20 years of authority in neurology, integrative medicine, and mindfulness to deliver programs and create cultural change. Dr. Romie currently speaks and consults for Fortune 500 companies, professional athletes, & global associations. She is also the Chief Wellness Officer (CWO) for Great Wolf Lodge. And was formerly the CWO for Evolution Hospitality, where she scaled a mindfulness & wellness program for over 7,000 employees. Her expertise is featured in the national media, such as NPR, NBC, TED talks, and Forbes.

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Suspense, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Aug 28: #1 NYT Bestselling Thriller Writer Lisa Gardner

August 28, 2024

Still See You Everywhere – A Novel 

Still See You Everywhere with author Lisa Gardner

The Beautiful Butcher serial killer faces execution in three weeks. She calls herself Death. They call her the Devil.

Following a year-long sabbatical, Lisa Gardner joins us to discuss her latest Frankie Elkin thriller. We explore character development, and how Lisa evolves her protagonist throughout a series. Lisa shares how the story sparked for her, and how as a thriller writer, she climbs into the minds of serial killers; the difference between male and female serial killers; and the research that surprised her. And, of course, we talk craft, storytelling, and some of the challenges presented in writing Still See You Everywhere.

Meet Lisa Gardner: Bestselling Thriller Novelist

A self-described research junkie, Lisa Gardner has transformed her interest in police procedure and criminal minds into a streak of internationally acclaimed novels, published across 30 countries. Four of Lisa’s books are TV movies (At the Midnight Hour; The Perfect Husband; The Survivors Club; Hide) and she’s made personal appearances on TruTV and CNN. Lisa’s books have received awards from across the globe. Her novel, The Neighbor, won Best Hardcover Novel from the International Thriller Writers, and the Grand Prix des Lectrices de Elle in France. More about Lisa Gardner.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

Aug 21: Internationally Bestselling Author David Wroblewski Discusses Familiaris

August 21, 2024

Follow up to the modern classic The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

Familiaris with author David Wroblewski

Familiaris hits bookshelves 15 years after David Wroblewski‘s debut novel The Story of Edgar Sawtelle became a #1 New York Times bestseller, Oprah Book Club pick, Indie Choice Best Author Discovery, and recipient of many other accolades.

We discuss why it took 15 years to produce Familiaris, a life-span saga of the origin of the Sawtelle family – John Sawtelle, his new bride Mary, their three dogs, and friends – as they set off on a series of quests to find meaning, purpose, and adventure.

David also shares why John Sawtelle needed his own book. How the author develops his characters, sense of location (farm, Wisconsin), and how his childhood influences his storytelling.

Meet Award-winning, Bestselling Author David Wroblewski

David Wroblewski is the author of the internationally bestselling novel The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, an Oprah Book Club pick Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, winner of the Colorado Book Award, and numerous other awards. David Wroblewski received an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the Warren Wilson M.F.A. Program for Writers, and a Bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Wisconsin. He lives in Colorado with the writer Kimberly McClintock and their dogs, Pie and Luci.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

Aug 14: The Waw with Novelist Jacqueline Gay Walley

August 14, 2024

The WAW with author Jacqueline Gay Walley

“There are people who do not settle in one place, but are like the nomadic tribes of the desert, longing for the Waw, the ultimate oasis, where they will finally be home.” 

So begins Jacqueline Gay Walley’s novel, THE WAW, where a woman leaves behind everything she knows in her New York life to follow the dream of living in a small English town by the sea and finding her tribe.

Jacqueline Gay Walley shares a peek into her writing process and the inspiration for THE WAW. She discusses why she chose to keep her narrator anonymous. The challenges her protagonist faces. How Jacqueline selects her projects, her favorite scenes to write, and why she says always write from the heart.

Meet Author Jaqueline Gay Walley

Jacqueline Gay Walley has published eight novels. She has written plays (shown in New York and London) and has released two films based on her books. Her film The Erotic Fire of the Unattainable was selected by six international film festivals and now plays on Amazon Prime. Born in London and raised in Montreal, Jacqueline lives in New York where she coaches writing, edits, and ghostwrites.

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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.

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Creativity, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Uncategorized, Writers on Writing

Jul 31: Matthew Dicks – Strategies from a Master Storyteller

July 31, 2024

Stories Sell: Storyworthy Strategies to Grow Your Business and Your Brand

Stories Sell with author Matthew Dicks

Today’s guest has many talents and accolades. But regardless of what Matthew Dicks is doing – teaching high school students, writing books or Moth GrandSLAM talks, giving keynote speeches, consulting with Fortune 500 clients, even hosting as a wedding DJ – he says ” … the heart of it revolves around story.”

That’s what we discuss in Stories Sell: Storyworthy Strategies to Grow Your Business and Your Brand.

Matthew shares how to differentiate between a romp and a story. Why you should keep a story bank, and how Matthew builds his. Why most companies, salespeople, and marketers get storytelling wrong, and why you should focus first on story, then purpose. What makes a 5-second Moment. How to avoid death by PowerPoint. Why But and However help to transition story scenes, but And doesn’t. When to risk introducing humor and why … and much more.

Meet Matthew Dicks – Bestselling Author, Moth StorySLAM & GrandSLAM Champion

Matthew Dicks is the internationally bestselling author of several novels, including Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, and Something Missing. His nonfiction titles include books we’ve discussed on the show before: Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade and Change Your Life Through the Power of Storytelling. Someday is Today:  22 Simple Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life. And his latest, Stories Sell: Storyworthy Strategies to Grow Your Business and our Brand. Matthew Dicks is a 56-time Moth StorySLAM Champion, and a 9-time GrandSLAM Champion, whose stories have been featured on the nationally syndicated Moth Radio Hour. His stories have also appeared on PBS’ Stories From the Stage.

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Fiction, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Jul 24: Grant Blackwood on Red Star Falling

July 24, 2024

A Luke Daniels Thriller coauthored with NYT Bestselling Author Steve Berry

Red Star Falling with coauthor Grant Blackwood

Why would an already established, New York Times bestselling author want to coauthor a novel with another well-established NYT and #1 International bestselling author? Who approached whom? How does that collaboration work? Who comes up with the plot? The story? How do they handle the action scenes? And did they travel to Russia and Ukraine for research?

Those are just a few of the questions we discuss today as we explore the action-packed adventure thriller, Red Star Falling with Grant Blackwood.

Set in the waning days of the Cold War, Luke Daniels embarks on a quest in search of the legendary lost library of Ivan the Terrible. Will that unlikely key end a looming threat orbiting two hundred miles above the earth? No spoilers today, we promise!

Meet Grant Blackwood – NYT Bestselling Author

Grant Blackwood is the New York Times bestselling author of his Briggs Tanner series. He’s also the coauthor of The Fargo Adventure Series with Clive Cussler. The New York Times bestselling Dead Or Alive with Tom Clancy. And Kill Switch with James Rollins. A US Navy veteran, Grant Blackwood spent three years aboard a guided missile frigate as an operations specialist and a pilot rescue swimmer. Red Star Falling is the second book he has coauthored in Steve Berry’s Luke Daniels Thriller Series.

Steve Berry originated the Luke Daniels character and thriller series. Steve is the NYT and #1 Internationally bestselling author of 18 Cotton Malone novels, five stand alone thrillers, and several works of short fiction. He has more than 26 million books in print, translated into 41 languages. Steve Berry is the founder of History Matters; serves as an emeritus member of the Smithsonian Libraries Advisory Board; and was a founding member and former co-president of the International Thriller Writers. Steve Berry has been our guest on many occasions – to find conversations with Steve, type Steve Berry into Conversations Live search box.

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Non Fiction, Science

Jul 17: Jaime Green Explores The Possibility of Life Beyond Earth

July 18, 2024

Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos

The Possibility of Life with author Jaime Green

One of the most frequently asked – yet unanswered – questions we humans ask about the cosmos, is: Are we alone?

Author Jaime Green says, while the science behind this is fascinating, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s a reflection of our values and aspirations, our fears and anxieties. And most importantly, our enduring sense of hope.

Jaime shares why the question we should really ask is, not “Is there life out there?“, but “What if … ?” We explore how science has influenced our history and culture, and the role that science fiction plays – think Star Trek and Avatar. Jaime also reveals if she’s answered the big question for herself … the question of what it means to human.  

Meet Jaime Green: Award-winning Science Author

Jaime Green is a freelance writer, editor, and writing teacher. The Possibility of Life was an NPR Science Friday Book Club Pick, a Wired Book to Read for Spring, and a TODAY Show Summer Pick. The series editor for The Best American Science and Nature Writing, Jaime Green is a lecturer at Smith College and at the Johns Hopkins Science Writing Master’s Program.

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Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Jul 17: The Haters with Bestselling Novelist Robyn Harding

July 10, 2024

A twisted tale of fame, obsession, and the dark recesses of social media.

The Haters with author Robyn Harding

Author Robyn Harding shares her frightening, real life story that inspired her latest novel, The Haters.

We discuss The Haters storyline and how Robyn created a novel within a novel. How she develops her characters. Her favorite scenes to write. Why tension is important to moving the story forward, and how screenwriting helped develop her writing skills.

Robyn also shares why she was thrilled, as a Canadian author, to use Vancouver BC as the book’s key location. And why she dedicated The Haters to ” … everyone with the courage to put their work – and themselves – out into the world.”

Meet Robyn Harding

Robyn Harding is the bestselling author of several novels including The Haters, The Drowning Woman, The Perfect Family, The Arrangement, Her Pretty Face, and The Party, which was a finalist for the Arthur Ellis Award for best crime novel. Her novel, The Swap, debuted at #1 on the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star Canadian bestsellers lists. She is also the screenwriter and executive producer of the independent film, The Steps. She lives in Vancouver, BC, with her family and two cute but deadly rescue chihuahuas.

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