Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Patti Callahan Henry, Ron Block, Bleav

Friends & Fiction

Arts EN ↓ 483 episodes

We're four bestselling novelists and friends whose common love of reading, writing, and independent bookstores bound us together. Now we want to share and celebrate stories—of the books we’ve written, the ones we’re reading now, and the art of writing—with each other and the guest authors we invite to join us. If you love books and are curious about the writing world, you’re in the right place.

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: bleav.com

Author

Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Patti Callahan Henry, Ron Block, Bleav

Category

Arts

Podcast website

bleav.com

Latest episode

Oct 2, 2026

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Episodes

Friends & Fiction Thanksgiving Special with Mystery Guests 25.11.2023

Who’s ready for some surprises?! We’ve got plenty in store for you on tonight’s Thanksgiving Eve show! Trust us, you do not want to miss this one as it’s going to be loads of fun! Each of the Fab Four has invited a mystery guest of their choosing. They’ve all kept the identities of their guests a secret from each other. No one will know what fabulous author each host has invited until it comes tim...

WB_S3E47 Dirtbag, Massachusetts with Isaac Fitzgerald 24.11.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK Isaac Fitzgerald joins Ron Block and Meg Walker to celebrate the paperback release of his memoir/confessional, Dirtbag Massachusets, which received huge acclaim across the board. He is highly engaging and brutally honest about his scattered youth, his unusual path finding his way to become a highly regarded writer, frequent Today Show guest, and sought after speaker. His personality...

Friends & Fiction with Tess Gerritsen 20.11.2023

Our guest on this LIVE episode of our wed night web show is none other than the internationally bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series, TessGerritsen ! Dubbed her the “medical suspense queen” by Publishers Weekly, Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess earned her MD at UC San Francisco and began to write fiction while on maternit...

WB_S3E46 Check & Mate with Ali Hazelwood 17.11.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK Popular Rom-Com author, Ali Hazelwood joins Kristy Woodson Harvey & Ron Block to talk about her first foray into writing for young adults, Check & Mate. A great conversation about the popularity of chess among young people and how this solid romance truly charms readers. Ali shares her research, building her characters and how their stories refelect the realities facing the young po...

WB_S3E45 Just Once with Karen Kingsbury 10.11.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK Karen Kingsbury is perhaps the most popular and prolific writer of inspirational fiction. She joins Patti Callahan Henry and Ron Block to showcase her first historical fiction novel, Just Once. Karen tells the riveting backstory to creating this WWII novel, and shares a great deal about her writing process, her deep faith and her growing endeavors in branching out to film and televi...

Friends & Fiction with Meg Cabot 09.11.2023

On this episode, we are thrilled to introduce you to the legendary author Meg Cabot ! Meg Cabot’s 80+ books for both adults and tweens/teens have included multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers, with more than 25-million copies sold worldwide. Her PRINCESS DIARIES series has been published in more than 38 countries and was made into two hit films by Disney. Meg’s numerous other award-winning books...

WB_S3E44 The Comfort of Crows with Margaret Renkl 03.11.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK Beloved NYT Opinion columnist and Bestseling Author, Margaret Renkl joins Patti Callahan Henry and Ron Block to talk about her glorious new collection of essays, The Comfort of Crows, which Ann Patchett calls a "howling love letter to the world". This sublime collection of stories follows Margarets year long astute and thought-provoking view of the natural world outside her window....

Friends & Fiction with Angie Kim 02.11.2023

On tonight’s LIVE episode, we meet Angie Kim ! After moving from Seoul, South Korea, to the suburbs of Baltimore as a pre-teen, Angie Kim earned a philosophy degree from Stanford and attended Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Her debut novel, MIRACLE CREEK , won the Edgar Award and the ITW Thriller Award, and was named one of the 100 best mysteries and thriller...

WB_S3E43 The River we Remember with William Kent Kruger 27.10.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK William Kent Kruger talks with Kristin Harmel and Ron Block about his latest release, The River We Remember, which was just named one of Barnes & Noble's best books of the year. This deep and meaningful conversation explores the creation of this tender and compelling story set in 1958, but also features William's inspiration and background reavealing the personal connection with the...

Friends & Fiction with Lori Rader-Day 26.10.2023

On tonight’s LIVE episode, we meet crime fiction author Lori Rader-Day ! Lori Rader-Day is the Edgar Award-nominated and Agatha, Anthony, and Mary Higgins Clark award-winning author of seven novels including DEATH AT GREENWAY , THE BLACK HOUR , and THE DAY I DIED . A past president of Sisters in Crime , Lori is co-chair of Midwest Mystery Conference , and teaches creative writing at Northwestern U...

WB_S3E42 Everything is Not Enough 20.10.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK Lola Akinmade Akerstrom joins Ron and Meg for an absolutely fascinating discussion about her second novel, Everything Is Not Enough. Her breakout debut, In Every Mirror She's Black, was a GMA pick and created immense buzz. Lola talks about the journey to write her sophmore novel, which explores how 3 Black Women face stuggles of racism, gender stereotypes and class in Sweden. She wr...

Friends & Fiction with Jean Kwok 19.10.2023

On tonight’s LIVE episode of our web show, we sit down with the incredible Jean Kwok . Jean Kwok is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Girl in Translation , Mambo in Chinatown , and the instant New York Times bestseller and Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club pick Searching for Sylvie Lee . Her work has been published in twenty countries and is taught in universities, co...

WB_S3E11 What You Do to Me with Rochelle Weinstein 13.10.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK What do you do when a song gets stuck in your head and you want to figure out the backstory of the lyrics? Why, write a book imagining how real life influenced the song. Rochelle Weinstein is captivating talking to Kristy Woodson Harvey and Ron Block about how she created a powerful and emotional novel based on "Hey There Delilah" by the Plain White T's who also gave Rochelle their...

Friends & Fiction with Thrity Umrigar 12.10.2023

On tonight’s live episode, we are excited to talk to Thrity Umrigar about her highly anticipated new novel, THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES . Thrity is the award-winning and bestselling author of nine previous novels, including HONOR , which was a Reese's Book Club Pick, as well as three picture books and a memoir. Her books have been published in more than 15 countries and in several languages. A former j...

WB_S3E40 Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead 06.10.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK Ashley Winstead is the guest on this week's episode, discussing her departure thriller, Midnight is the Darkest Hour. She joins Patti Callahan Henry and Ron Block for a deep discussion about how this Louisiana Swamp set tale explores the effect a fundamentalist focus can have on it's small town gothic town. The murder mystery begins with Ruth, whose world was changed when she discov...

Friends & Fiction with Jessica Knoll 05.10.2023

On this episode, we introduce you to Jessica Knoll and her incredible new book, BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN . Jessica Knoll is the New York Times bestselling author of LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE and THE FAVORITE SISTER . She also adapted and executive produced the film Luckiest Girl Alive , starring Mila Kunis, which was released on Netflix in 2022. A former editor at SELF and Cosmopolitan, Jessica’s books have b...

WB_S3E39 The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch 29.09.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK Revisiting a classic with a twist! Ron Block and Kristy Woodson Harvey are joined for a fabulous conversation with Melinda Taub about her new book that honors Pride and Prejudice (with a twist) in her new book, The Scanadalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch . Melinda talks about creating a new angle on the classic Bennet sisters story, infusing it with magic and insight into the...

Friends & Fiction Launch Celebration for Mary Kay Andrews's BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS 28.09.2023

This episode of our Wed night web show is the launch celebration for our own Mary Kay Andrews ’s BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS ! Who’s ready to join in the reindeer games? Put on your Santa (er, thinking) caps and get ready for some holiday themed trivia! We’ve got lots of cheer and merriment in store as emcee Meg and referee Ron oversee the Fab Four in a rousing Christmas-themed game show. We foll...

WB_S3E38 A Right Worthy Woman with Ruth Watson 22.09.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK Patti Callahan Henry and Ron Block have an inspiring and touching conversation with Author Ruth Watson about her recent historical fiction novel, A Right Worthy Woman, which tells the story of Maggie Lena Walker, the first Black woman to establish and preside over an American Bank (which still exists today!). Ruth's journey to get this story told is fascinating and showcases her per...

Friends & Fiction with Sarah Pekkanen & Etaf Rum 21.09.2023

On tonight’s LIVE episode of our Wednesday night web show, we are excited to host two incredible bestselling authors, Sarah Pekkanen and Etaf Rum ! Sarah Pekkanen is the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of four novels of suspense including THE GOLDEN COUPLE and THE WIFE BETWEEN US . A passionate volunteer for rescue animals, she serves as an Ambassador for RRSA India, and works hands-on in...

WB_S3E37 Mother Daughter Murder Night with Nina Simon 15.09.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK Ron Block and Kristy Woodson Harvey knew there was somethng special about Mother Daughter Murder Night by debut author, Nina Simon. This sparkling, lively and heartwarming conversation will give listeners a glimpse into why this book was named the September 2023 Reese's Book Club pick! From the origin story, to the natual setting and the relationships between the grandmother, Lana,...

Friends & Fiction with Denene Millner & J.R. Ward 14.09.2023

On tonight’s LIVE episode of our Wed night web show, we have two incredible author guests in store for you! J.R. Ward is the author of more than 60 novels, including those in her #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood . There are more than 20-million copies of her novels in print worldwide and they have been published in 27 countries. After law school, War...

WB_S3E3 Longmire Defense with Craig Johnson 08.09.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK Join Mary Kay Andrews and Ron Block in a fantastic episdoe with the one and only Craig Johnson about his newest in the Longmire Series, Longmire Defense. Craig never ceases to amaze readers, and is very generous, hilarious and even touching sharing stories about his characters, the hugely popular Netflix show and his tours. Such a heartfelft and funny episode!  See omnystudio.com/li...

Friends & Fiction with Elizabeth Acevedo 07.09.2023

On this live episode of our Wed night web show, we are thrilled to introduce you to the National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author, Elizabeth Acevedo ! Elizabeth Acevedo is the author of THE POET X , which, among other honors, won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature and the Carnegie medal. She is also the author of WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH , named a best book...

WB_S3E35 with Helen Ellis 01.09.2023

WRITERS' BLOCK Ready for a Laugh? Helen Ellis is the best-selling author of American Housewife and Southern Lady Code. She joins Patti Callahan Henry and Kristy Woodson Harvey for a hysterical conversation about her newest essay collection, Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge, which was written when she and her husband were on lockdown in their New York City apartment. Helen brings her incredible wit and...

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