Story Impact Podcast - Compelling Author Interviews

Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podcast. What happens when the homicide detective becomes the murder suspect? Acclaimed author, editor, playwright, filmmaker, and writing instructor Victoria Zackheim returns to Story Impact with Murder at Hotel Gloriosa, the second mystery in her latest series featuring journalist Aria Nevins and homicide detective Noah Roche. This time, Victoria move...

Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podcast. What happens when a writer takes one of literature’s most iconic detectives and gives him the one thing he never knew he needed: an intellectual equal? New York Times bestselling author, Edgar Award winner, and Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Laurie R. King joins host Lisa Towles for a wide-ranging conversation about Sherlock Holmes, Ma...

Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podcast. What does it mean to build a creative life across continents, blending the resonance of music with the deep history of historical fiction? Scottish novelist and lifelong musician K.D. Neill joins host Lisa Towles to discuss his remarkable journey from a planned two-year relocation in South Africa to more than half a lifetime on the continent, f...

Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podcast. What does it mean to be human in the age of technology? Writer Jesse Ratner and photographer Dan Kutler join host Lisa Towles to discuss The Cage You Carry, a provocative new book exploring technology, identity, creativity, connection, and the forces shaping contemporary human experience through poetry and photography. At the heart of the book...

Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podcast. In this episode, award-winning crime novelist and host Lisa Towles sits down with horror author and illustrator Tec Weston to explore the intersection of visual storytelling, horror, time travel, and the creative process behind his novel You Are All Charlotte. What happens when the monster hunting you isn't just somewhere out there — but somewh...

Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podcast. Gold Rush California. A 2,000-year-old Chinese emperor. Modern biotech. And humanity's enduring obsession with cheating death. With host Lisa Towles, this episode explores the fascinating life and work of author and screenwriter Caryn McCann, whose East-meets-West mystery thriller The Emperor's Curse brings Chinese history and culture, crime, m...

Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podcast. With host Lisa Towles, this episode explores the life and work of Mitchell Hadley — novelist, essayist, cultural critic, and television historian whose newest novel, The Book of Revelations, follows Nan Jaffe across decades of trauma, identity, memory, and the long road back to herself. Together they discuss the fragmented nature of memory, cha...

Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podcast. With host Lisa Towles, this episode explores the life and work of Robin Somers — an award-winning Western Mystery author whose Wild Horses Mystery Series follows crime reporter Eleanor Wooley through the Sierra Nevada foothills and high desert of the American West, where disappearances, murder, land conflicts, and the fate of wild horses become...

Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podcast. With host Lisa Towles, this episode explores the life and work of Maxine Rose Schur, who has moved from professional actress to award-winning travel writer to acclaimed author of children's, middle grade, and young adult fiction. Together they discuss travel, storytelling, creativity, and the experiences that shape a writer's life. Essential li...

Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podccast. With host, Lisa Towles, this episode examines the intersection of journalism and fiction through Neal Lipschutz's decades at the highest levels of American media and his Scott Morgan mystery series. Together they discuss verification, ethics, moral ambiguity, and why the instincts that drive great journalism also drive a great mystery novel. E...

Dogs, Stories, and Connections | Meet Patricia McConnell With host, Lisa Towles, this episode examines the intersection of science and storytelling through Patricia McConnell's internationally bestselling nonfiction and her acclaimed fiction debut, Away to Me. Together they discuss observation, empathy, healing, and why understanding behavior—whether human or canine—can transform the way we see th...

Lisa Towles, award-winning crime novelist and host of Story Impact, sits down with authors and entrepreneurs Carol Ann and Eric Wentworth to explore mindfulness, meaningful work, leadership, and finding purpose beyond conventional career success. This episode examines the evolving definition of success—moving beyond promotions and titles toward lives grounded in purpose, alignment, and authentic h...

Welcome to the Story Impact Author Interview Podcast. In some corners of the world, storytelling isn't just an art—it’s an act of courage and a vital record of survival. Today, host Lisa Towles welcomes bestselling crime novelist Sarah Lovett and global changemaker Ron Schultz. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on their new international thriller, Metal Viper, a story where a 12-year-old b...

Welcome to the Story Impact Author Interview Podcast. High-octane fiction meets radical authenticity when a lifetime of philanthropy fuels a gripping search for justice. Today, host Lisa Towles welcomes award-winning novelist and philanthropist Karen E. Osborne. In this episode, we go behind the scenes of her riveting murder mystery, Justice for Emerson, and explore how a passion for storytelling—...

Welcome to the Story Impact Podcast! What happens when a terrifying real-life encounter in the mountains of Mexico becomes the catalyst for a celebrated thriller series? Today, host Lisa Towles welcomes back her second-ever guest, crime thriller author, editor, and writing instructor Ana Manwaring. In this milestone 50th episode, we go behind the scenes of Ana’s 2024 release, Mortal Revenge, and e...

Welcome to the Story Impact Podcast! How does the mind of a school principal—someone charged with leading a community and shaping its vision—approach the creation of an entirely new world? Today, host Lisa Towles connects with Steve Guglich, a veteran educator, school principal, and the author of the expansive epic fantasy saga, Piercing the Veil. This conversation is a deep dive into creative dis...

Welcome to the Story Impact Podcast! Today, we're thrilled to feature Jim and Kathy Ocean — musicians, cultural activists, and co-authors of the genre-bending novel John Lennon's Glasses. For more than three decades, Jim and Kathy have worked together as the creative force behind OceanWorks Productions, producing concerts, festivals, multimedia performances, and original music they describe as "Mu...

Welcome to the Story Impact Podcast! Today, we're honored to feature Marie Judson—linguist, scholar, and acclaimed fantasy author whose world-building spans two extraordinary series and two entirely different mythologies. Marie is the creator of the Braided Dimensions series, a time travel fantasy saga woven through with medieval magic and ancient languages, and the Lost Xentu series, where fantas...

Lisa Towles, award-winning crime novelist and host of Story Impact, sits down with Ed DeJesus to explore vulnerability, systems thinking, and what happens when a tech pioneer turns his gaze toward the darkest corners of human nature. This episode dives into thriller writing, character development, real-world storytelling, and the creative courage required to architect narratives that are both tech...

Lisa Towles, award-winning crime novelist and host of Story Impact, sits down with Martyn Burke to explore narrative truth, investigative storytelling, and writing in the shadow of power. This episode dives into journalism, documentary filmmaking, historical fiction, and the courage required to confront dangerous realities. Essential listening for authors, filmmakers, and engaged readers. A litera...

Lisa Towles, award-winning crime novelist and host of Story Impact, sits down with Jude Berman to explore political thrillers, narrative structure, and writing with purpose. This episode dives into truth, technology, and the responsibility of fiction. Essential listening for authors and engaged readers. A literary podcast for serious readers, writers, and creative thinkers. Jude Berman is the auth...

Award-winning crime novelist and host Lisa Towles interviews cultural historian, photographer, and author Stephen Huyler, renowned for his decades-long immersion in India and his groundbreaking work documenting sacred arts and rural communities. In this deep conversation, Stephen discusses his lifelong journey exploring Indian culture, the inspiration behind his newest memoir, Transformed by India...

Welcome to Story Impact! Today, we’re honored to feature Victoria Zackheim—a celebrated author whose storytelling mastery spans mystery, memoir, and the stage. Victoria’s newest book release, The Curtain Falls in Paris, launches a richly atmospheric, region-based mystery series. With gripping suspense, emotional depth, and unforgettable characters, this novel sets the stage for what promises to be...

Award-winning crime novelist and host Lisa Towles interviews internationally acclaimed author Eliot Pattison, known for the Inspector Shan Tibet mysteries and the Bone Rattler historical series. In this deep craft conversation, Eliot discusses his decades-long writing career, his approach to historical storytelling, and the themes behind his newest release, Freedom’s Ghost. In this episode, you’ll...

Join bestselling crime novelist and podcast host Lisa Towles as she sits down with editor & author Jeff Circle, creator and visionary of the Writer's Dossier Podcast, to explore what drives modern thriller writing — and how moral ambiguity turns good stories into unforgettable ones. In this episode you’ll discover: How Jeff curated and edited the new anthology Myopic Duplicity: Do the Ends Eve...