In Conversation with Terry Shepherd

What happens when an FBI insider turns his real-world counterintelligence experience into gripping espionage fiction? In this episode of In Conversation , Terry Shepherd sits down with former attorney and investigator Steven L. Conley to explore his thrilling new novel, False Flag . Inspired by the actual twenty-year hunt for a Chinese mole inside the Bureau, this discussion pulls back the curtain...

Join host Terry Shepherd for an engaging conversation with award-winning mystery author Margaret Mizushima. In this episode, they dive deep into Dying Cry , the thrilling 10th installment of the internationally published Timber Creek Canine Mysteries. Margaret shares her creative process, the real-world research behind her authentic K-9 characters, and what is next for Deputy Maddie Walker and her...

When the stable foundation of your life suddenly shifts, what do you do with the time you have left? Join host Terry Shepherd on In Conversation as he sits down with Dara Levan, the award-winning author, podcaster, and speech-language pathologist, to discuss her beautifully poignant new novel, Shaken to the Core . Together, they dive into a deeply moving story about grief, transformation, and the...

What happens when healthy self-discipline morphs into a consuming, unseen obsession? Today, host Terry Shepherd sits down with author Steven M. Rubin to explore his gripping new novel, The Unraveling of Michael Galler , a slow-build psychological family drama that walks the fragile line between protection and psychological unraveling. Together, they dive into how personal trauma can redefine our d...

Can you preserve your humanity while fighting inhuman evil? In this episode of In Conversation , host Terry Shepherd sits down with award-winning investigative reporter and Pulitzer finalist John Winn Miller to discuss his gripping new World War II thriller, Miriam in the Shadows . Together, they explore the high-stakes world of espionage, the moral dilemmas of the Allied resistance, and how a sea...

For decades, UC Berkeley-trained engineer and high-tech executive Lena Fein lived as a master of survival disguised as success, using academic achievement and corporate ambition as armor to mask the deep trauma of a violent, controlling childhood. But at age fifty-one, standing at the deathbed of her abusive mother, a profound moment of connection sparked an unexpected journey toward reckoning, re...

Some books arrive as guides; others arrive as lifelines. In this episode of In Conversation , host Terry Shepherd sits down with author, educator, and keynote speaker Dr. Katie Rose Pryal to discuss her profoundly necessary new book, Your Kid Belongs Here: An Insider's Guide to Parenting Neurodiverse Children . Together, they explore what it means to dismantle rigid social norms, unlearn inte...

Here is the optimized, high-conversion Buzzsprout episode description based on the interview transcript. What happens when a crime writer decides to take back total creative control of their work? In this episode, host Terry Shepherd sits down with Heather J. Fitt, an accomplished author, editor, and the General Coordinator for the Crime Writers’ Association, to explore her journey from the motor...

What happens when an investigative journalist shifts from documenting true crime to crafting psychological suspense? You get the gripping, multi-layered world of the Katrina and Goode series . In this episode, host Terry Shepherd sits down with New York Times bestselling author and veteran journalist Caitlin Rother to discuss Staged , the taut second book in her acclaimed fiction series. From pull...

Can we actually fix a broken world by tackling our crises one by one? Investigative journalist and author Fons Burger says no. In this episode, host Terry Shepherd sits down with Fons to discuss his deeply provocative new book, The Only Possible Solution . Fons argues that the defining crises of our century—from climate change to mass immigration—are not isolated events, but symptoms of a single,...

Sins of the Mother: Overcoming Cults, Chaos, and the Fear of Rejection with Author August Norman What happens when a professional creator transitions from Hollywood sketch comedy to writing high-stakes mystery thrillers? In this episode, host Terry Shepherd sits down with renaissance man August Norman to dissect his gripping sophomore novel, Sins of the Mother . Discover how August channels real-w...

In this episode of In Conversation , award-winning broadcaster Terry Shepherd sits down with UK-based author MJ Dyer to dive deep into her debut psychological thriller, We Are Monsters . Set against the brooding, atmospheric backdrop of Bodmin Moor, the novel follows Elara, a young woman who has spent her life eclipsed by her identical twin half-sisters. When one of the twins is found dead under s...

Deconstructing the Whodunit: A Conversation with Bestselling Author & Renaissance Man Lee Goldberg. What happens when you take the classic, eccentric detective formula and turn it completely on its head? In this episode of In Conversation , host Terry Shepherd sits down with bestselling author, television producer, and media renaissance man Lee Goldberg to celebrate the launch of his highly an...

There is something completely irresistible about a mystery that sparkles—especially when it carries secrets buried deep in history. In this episode, host Terry Shepherd sits down with award-winning author and gemologist C.B. Wilson to dive into her glittering new release, Water Diamond , the thrilling second installment in her popular Gem Hunter series. From the sun-drenched hills of a historic Ph...

What happens when the person you once trusted most becomes the architect of your worst nightmare?  In this episode, award-winning broadcaster Terry Shepherd sits down with psychological thriller author Liz Lazarus to discuss her unsettling new novel, Dawn Before Darkness . Liz opens up about shifting from a "left-brain" career as a corporate engineering executive to crafting high-stakes,...

“The purpose of your life is to be happy, but the way you become happy is counterintuitive. It turns out that where happiness comes from is pushing out help for other people.” What if the secret to a meaningful life isn’t about what you can grab, but what you can give?  In this truly life-altering episode, award-winning broadcaster Terry Shepherd sits down with Peter Samuelson —film producer, pro-...

Breaking the Spy Movie Mold with "Anonymous Jane" There are stories that whisper, and stories that kick the door off its hinges. Anonymous Jane does the latter. In this episode, host Terry Shepherd sits down with two incredible creators approaching the exact same explosive story from very different artistic worlds: hard-edged crime novelist Luke Preston (writing as Jack Quade) and vision...

Unburying Family Secrets in the Paniolo Country with Tori Eldridge There is a particular kind of suspense that settles into the land, into families, and into histories that refuse to stay buried. In this episode, award-winning broadcaster, narrator, and author Terry Shepherd takes a deep dive into the writer's craft with one of his favorite authors—and best friends—Tori Eldridge. Tori joins t...

Writing Across Realities with Martha Conway What happens when an unsettling, real-life moment completely reshapes a creative journey? In this episode, host Terry Shepherd sits down with acclaimed novelist Martha Conway to explore her deeply moving and speculative new novel, We Meet Apart . Set in 1990s Ireland, the book follows two grieving sisters, Gabby and Sabine, navigating a dual reality: one...

In this episode, host Terry Shepherd sits down with authors Ashley Wren Collins and Jordan Rockwell to discuss their collaborative romantic comedy, She Wrote, He Wrote: A New York Love Story . Set against the "beautifully chaotic" backdrop of New York City, the novel offers a unique split narrative that explores a single romance from two very different perspectives. Inside the Story The...

SOS: James Grady on Hometown Secrets, "Shadows on Sidewalks," and Reshaping the Thriller Episode Summary There are writers who define a genre, and then there are those who quietly reshape it from the inside out. In this episode, host Terry Shepherd is joined by legendary thriller author James Grady, whose breakout novel Six Days of the Condor originally introduced audiences to a world wh...

Reclaiming a Faded Past: Mario Cartaya’s Journey Back to Cuba In this episode, host Terry Shepherd speaks with acclaimed architect and author Mario Cartaya about his memoir, Journey Back Into the Vault: In Search of My Faded Cuban Childhood Footprints . Fleeing Cuba at age eight after his father’s life was threatened, Mario suppressed his childhood memories for 56 years. After returning to the isl...

What happens when history repeats itself and the global balance of power shifts overnight? In this episode, host Terry Shepherd sits down with Dr. Ralph DeFalco , the "Renaissance man" and author behind the chilling political thriller, The Counterfeit . Ralph discusses the historical patterns and current geopolitical trends that inspired his vision of a fractured, post-conflict America....

Justice, Legacy, and "A Death in Arcadia" with Mike Papantonio What happens when a legal case cracks open a wound a man has kept sealed his entire life? In this episode, award-winning broadcaster Terry Shepherd dives deep with legendary trial lawyer, radio host, and author Mike Papantonio to discuss his latest legal thriller, A Death in Arcadia . From the brutal reality of Florida’s yout...

In this episode, host Terry Shepherd dives into the "uneasy space" of literary horror with poet and dancer Kirsten Kashock . They discuss her unsettling new novel, An Impossibility of Crows , a story that examines the haunting boundaries of devotion, inheritance, and control. The Horse-Sized Crow Kirsten reveals that the book originated from a single, startling dream of a crow the size o...