The Thoughtful Bro

Pumping Literary Fire straight in ya veins on my latest with Mateo Askaripour, discussing his new one, This Great Hemisphere .  Topics: (1) taking big risks after a bestseller (2) shaking up the publishing industry, and (3) helping people feel seen. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly spons...

With National Book Award winner M.T. Anderson, on his debut novel for adults,  Nicked . We discussed: (1) the blurry boundary between YA/adult fiction, (2) the identity of his true intended audience, and (3) how great titles begin to tell the tale before you turn the first page. He also reads aloud the opening paragraph of the story, one of the finest in recent memory. Order Mark's novel Bunyan an...

With debut novelist Sara Shukla , on her satirical, absurdist and emotionally satisfying beach reach, Pink Whales . We discussed (1) making sure you have a solid story beneath the humor; (2) figuring out the formula of comedy through trial and error, and (3) how she finally gave up on writing that Big Important Literary Novel, and started just having fun. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry . All...

With Derek Black, on their new memoir The Klansman's Son . We discussed Derek's journey from being the child of the head of the KKK, to their renunciation of their white supremacist beliefs and becoming an anti-racist. In an America where the GOP presidential nominee is openly adopting planks of the white nationalist platform, Derek is sounding the alarm. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry . All...

With Garth Risk Hallberg discussing his second novel, and first in nine years, The Second Coming . Topics included: (1) the unique benefits of writing *very* long books; (2) Tom Wolfe & the sprawling, all-inclusive NYC novel; and (3) how/how not to deal with sudden, massive literary fame. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Bla...

With bestselling author and A Mighty Blaze co-founder Caroline Leavitt. We discussed her 13th novel, Days of Wonder , then went deep on a subject we're both obsessed with: story structure. We covered (1) the importance of presenting your book's main question in the first chapter, (2) the pros of workshopping your synopsis before writing, and (3) how Caroline says learning to structure "saved my li...

With former FBI Director James Comey discussing his second novel, Westport . We chatted re: (1) the truth/falsehood behind popular mystery genre tropes, (2) the importance of a reliable bad cop to any investigation, and (3) his prognosis on the Trump Trials. Listen to Mark's first conversation with James Comey .  Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live o...

With 5-Under-35 and Orange-Prize-winner Téa Obreht , discussing her third novel,  The Morningside . We chatted re: (1) the necessity of an urgent emotional connection to your work; (2) what can/can't be taught about writing; and (3) today's fraught political climate for artists. Order Mark Cecil's novel  Bunyan and Henry . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze...

My convo with debut bestseller Doug Westerbeke, author of A Short Walk Through A Wide World , about which The New York Times says, " Imagine The Life of Pi , The Alchemis t, and The Midnight Library rolled into one fantastical fable." We covered (1) struggling to nail the ending, (2) writing the adult fairy tale, and (3) why sometimes "the best way to survive things is to not understand them." Ord...

Who could possibly step into Mark Cecil's host shoes on The Thoughtful Bro on his pub day without skipping a beat and fire super intelligent and fun questions at him?  A Mighty Blaze co-founder and best-selling author Jenna Blum, of course!  They discuss Mark's debut Bunyan and Henry; Or the Beautiful Destiny , now available wherever books are sold. Make sure you check out his book tour schedule a...

With Boston literary citizen par excellence Hank Phillippi Ryan , discussing her latest suspense novel One Wrong Word . Hank has won scores of awards as a TV journalist and novelist (including 37 Emmys), and I dug into her storytelling habits, methods and style, unpacking the mind of this master of economical prose, twisty plots and upbeat endings. Order Mark Cecil's novel  Bunyan and Henry . All...

With one of the foremost Native American artists working today in any field, Tommy Orange, talking about his second novel, Wandering Stars . We discussed the struggle of America to both remember and forget its past; his generative friendship with fellow celebrated novelist Kaveh Akbar; and whether the time has come when white writers of literary fiction will be expected to talk about whiteness. Pr...

With the inimitable, incorrigible, ingenious Steve Almond, discussing his new craft book, Truth Is The Arrow, Mercy Is The Bow: A DIY Manual For The Construction Of Stories . We covered: obsession as the engine for literature; the aims and importance of opening paragraphs; and how one of the ultimate goals of literature is a magnification the inner life, so we might all better understand and forgi...

With ultra-fresh debut author Jonathan Escoffery, discussing his celebrated linked collection of stories about Jamaican immigrants, If I Survive You . Topics included: (1) the impossibility of answering the loaded race question "What are you?" (2) the underserved market of father/son literature, and (3) the rare/extremely necessary topic of men's fashion on Zoom. Pre-order Mark Cecil's upcoming no...

With literary podcaster and author Brad Listi, discussing his first novel in 16 years, Be Brief And Tell Them Everythin g , a work of autofiction exploring the despair, terror, and glory which is the creative life. We covered: brevity as an aesthetic, writing like there's no tomorrow, and how he builds literary community through his beloved podcast  Otherppl . Pre-order Mark Cecil's upcoming novel...

Why do men turn to rage as a solution to their problems? "Because they feel stuck," says bestselling first-time memoirist Isaac Fitzgerald. We unpacked the underbelly of the two big "mass's," masculinity and Massachusetts, as we discussed his raw, drug-sex-violence laden odyssey of the Bay State, Dirtbag, Massachusetts . Pre-order Mark Cecil's upcoming novel Bunyan and Henry . All episodes of The...

With sleeper hit and absolute runaway debut sensation Shelby Van Pelt, discussing her hopeful, poignant, friendship-with-an-octopus book club novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures . We discussed finding the voice for her "gentleman philosopher" octopus, how all good book ideas are probably a little bit bananas, and how it's never too late to change, no matter how old you are. With an intro that discu...

Checking in with poetry slam champ Melissa Lozada-Oliva on her outrageous debut novel Candelaria , which one reviewer described as One Hundred Years Of Solitude meets "The Royal Tenenbaums" meets "Night of the Living Dead." Topics: (1) writing against the traditional diaspora story, (2) when to follow/break storytelling rules, and (3) representation and the legacy of American Dirt . Pre-order Mark...

With Matt Bell, on his abundant, uncategorizable, epic novel Appleseed . This interview, like Bell's sweeping book, is chock full of ideas that we crammed in the most exciting way into a rather limited space, including: the state of eco-fiction; mashing up ancient mythic tropes and future-tech; and Matt's deep commitment to the richness of language. Pre-order Mark Cecil's upcoming novel Bunyan and...

What does Shelley Parker-Chan want readers to feel at the end of her debut best-selling fantasy novel She Who Became The Sun ? "A feeling of catharsis...the subtitle should be Revenge Of The Genderqueers ."  Also discussed: Wuxia, fate v. triumph of will, and historical fanfiction. (Exciting to note: Shelley's second book, which completes the series, has just come out:  He Who Drowned The World .)...

A probing convo on American imperialism as seen from abroad; the rich historical and economic complexity of Haiti; and being a creative late-bloomer; with the great Ben Fountain, discussing his new international thriller Devil Makes Three . A true gentleman of American letters; the entire chat was as fresh as it was compelling. Pre-order Mark Cecil's upcoming novel Bunyan and Henry . All episodes...

With Oprah Book Club pick Nathan Hill, discussing his latest novel,  Wellness , which NPR called "a masterpiece....beyond remarkable." We get into the dangers and benefits of the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves; how to hook readers with ecstatic openings; and, toward the end of the show, Nathan offers his best piece of advice on how to be sure your 600-page+ novel gets published.  Pre-or...

An insightful, wide-ranging and frankly rather zen talk with one of America's most raw, transgressive, and pot-stirring artists, Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk. While discussing his new novel, Not Forever, But For Now , we covered finding vitality and cartharsis in extreme behavior, the fate of the famed Cacophony Society, and the need to love your characters if you want your reader to love the...

With Silver Linings Playbook author Matthew Quick, discussing his new novel We Are The Light . We talked about how visions and fantasy can be a necessary part of the healing process and how storytelling itself is linked to managing trauma. We also recapped Matthew's origin story, an archetypal tale of how he was willing to "pay the cost" of becoming a writer. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro air...

With white-hot debut novelist and Pulitzer Prize finalist Xochitl Gonzalez, discussing her wise, funny, politically-charged rom-com, Olga Dies Dreaming . We chatted about inspiring Latinx readership, what she learned at the Iowa Writers Workshop, and the moment she decided to make a mid-career pivot while bargain-hunting at a sales rack in Nieman Marcus. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired li...