Record Scratch with Kara

For nearly four decades, Andrew Neiderman has been one of the most widely read authors you've probably never seen on a book cover. As the writer who continued the legendary V.C. Andrews franchise after Andrews' death, Neiderman has written 100 novels under one of publishing's most recognizable names, helping grow the series into an international phenomenon with more than 30 million copies of FLOWE...

What happens when grief arrives without warning—and how do we find our way back to hope? Without giving too much away, Dara Levan shares the themes in her new novel. Author of the acclaimed novels, IT COULD BE WORSE and SHAKEN TO THE CORE, Dara explores the extraordinary strength found in ordinary people facing life's most difficult moments. DARA LEVAN Website: https://daralevan.com/ Instagram: @d...

Musician Will Calhoun, the drummer from Living Colour, is now an author with his upcoming memoir, THE SECRET LIFE OF BEATS, due out this fall. From Harry Belafonte to Living Colour, Will’s music career is one of diversity, curiosity, and exploration. His artistry spans more than three decades as one of the world’s best drummers — and he credits his mom’s heartbeat (his earliest memory) for introdu...

Nearly one in four American adults experiences family estrangement, and countless others carry invisible wounds from childhood trauma. Stephanie Weaver's story offers something rare: an honest look at pain without sensationalism, paired with a hopeful reminder that healing is possible even when reconciliation isn't. Stephanie’s memoir, BITTER, SWEET: HOW TO HEAL YOURSELF WHEN YOUR FAMILY IS BROKEN...

Kara and Cynthia Occelli, author of RESURRECTING VENUS, discuss growth and transformation. Cynthia is part of the 2026 Mother’s Day weekend special series. Topics: The origin of Cynthia's famous "seed" quote Cynthia’s journey from ninth-grade dropout and welfare mom to law school graduate and successful entrepreneur Her coaching philosophy: bespoke, intuition-led, and focused on connecting clients...

As the Record Scratch team preps Season 4, we are excited to share a conversation Kara had with her friend Lisa Mitchell, the host of Divorce Curious. Divorce Curious is a podcast for people wondering if their marriage still fits. No lawyers, no yelling, no friends taking sides — just real talk about the questions keeping you up at night. Learn more about Divorce Curious here . Follow Lisa @divorc...

Mother Loss, Memory, and Meaning with Kathryn Bertine Kathryn shares the complexity of grief—from the unexpected moments of humor to the profound sense of peace that can accompany loss. This episode is a powerful reminder that grief is not linear, not uniform—and never something to navigate alone. Kathryn Bertine is an author of several books, a former professional athlete, an activist, and a docu...

Now an author, the Living Colour drummer speaks about his mother, Annie Mae Baker Calhoun Will Calhoun’s artistry spans more than three decades as one of the world’s best drummers—and he credits his mom’s heartbeat (his earliest memory) for introducing him to life’s cadence. From Harry Belafonte to Living Colour, Will’s music career is one of diversity, curiosity, and exploration. A full interview...

Let the Words Fall Out: A Story of Trauma, Survival, and Grace *Content Warning* Domestic violence is discussed. Mesa Fama shares the complicated, often painful terrain of motherhood—both as a daughter and as a mother herself. Mesa shares her earliest memories of her mother, shaped by domestic violence and instability, and the profound impact those experiences had on her life. Through honesty and...

Grief, Identity, and Ongoing Connection with Jessica Fein Jessica shares her experience navigating the unimaginable reality of being both a motherless daughter and a daughterless mother—a dual loss that reshaped her understanding of identity, grief, and love. Jessica reflects on her mother, Zelda, the loss of her daughter Dahlia, and the ways she continues to maintain connection with those she has...

The Cheerleader, The Caregiver, The Guilt: Remembering Vicki Kara welcomes back Robin Finn for a deeply human conversation about losing her mother, Vicki. Robin shares what it meant to be both a devoted daughter and primary caregiver—and how the unexpected timing of COVID-19 complicated her mother’s final months, leaving behind layers of grief, love, and unresolved questions. Writer and narrative...

Carrying Them Forward: Grief, Ritual, and the Enduring Bond of Love In this deeply moving Mother’s Day episode, Kara sits down with grief advocate Barry Leiner Grant to explore what it means to carry someone forward after loss. After losing her mother, Barri has transformed her personal grief into a life’s work—helping others navigate loss with honesty, ritual, and connection. This conversation mo...

A Double Blessing: Adoption, Reunion, and Motherhood Across Continents Twin sisters Melanie Nichols and Marcie Moller share their extraordinary story of adoption, identity, and reunion. Born in Taiwan and adopted by American parents, Melanie and Marcie grew up with a loving, idyllic upbringing in the United States—yet always carried the unanswered questions of their origin story. Years later, a de...

Motherhood, Grief, and the Moment We Grow Each Other Up Mother’s Day isn’t always simple—and for many women, it isn’t soft or sentimental. It’s layered. It’s complicated. It’s evolving. Cynthia unpacks what it means to grieve a mother, become a mother, a grandmother, and—at times—redefine both roles in real time. A full interview with Cynthia is part of Season 4 of “Record Scratch with Kara” and w...

The Stories That Shape Us: A Son Reflects on Love, Loss, and a Larger-Than-Life Mother Through vivid memories, family lore, and reflections shaped by time and loss, David paints a portrait of a woman who lived in imagination, defied convention, and used storytelling as both shield and superpower. This episode is a masterclass in how the people who raise us—flawed, brilliant, human—leave lasting im...

Bitter, Sweet: Forgiveness, Distance, and Understanding a Complicated Mother *CONTENT WARNING* Stephanie Weaver’s memoir deals with child sexual abuse and incest. Author Stephanie Weaver explores the deeply layered experience of loving—and losing—a complicated mother. Drawing from her memoir BITTER, SWEET, Stephanie shares the story of her relationship with her mother, a woman shaped by generation...

This episode of Record Scratch with Kara flips the format as producer Marilou Marosz interviews Kara Kavensky about the evolution of the podcast, Kara’s upcoming memoir, and the release of "A Record Scratch Limited Series: Mother Loss and Mother's Day." All episodes of the series, which will be available Mother’s Day weekend, explore one of the most universal—and deeply personal—experiences we sha...

Here’s another chance to listen to the fascinating story of Jerry Siegel, the creator of the Superman comic strip, as told by author William (Bill) Bernhardt. Bernhardt’s latest book, THE SUPERMAN WARS: A BATTLE FOR TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND AN AMERICAN ICON is now available everywhere you buy books. Bill is a former lawyer-turned-legal thriller novelist who had a rough road to publishing. But, resilien...

Season 3 of RECORD SCRATCH WITH KARA wraps up and Season 4 is currently being recorded. Special Podcast Series Announcement: In honor of Mother’s Day, Kara is curating a powerful series featuring conversations with individuals who have lost their mothers. More to come on this! Kara’s debut memoir, TELL ME ABOUT JOY, is now available for presale. You can order your copy at: Barnes & Noble - htt...

Farah and Stephán [pron. Stef-on] Chéry [pron. cherry], co-founders of the Dieudonne Foundation, explore motherhood, migration, trauma, healing, and what it truly takes to support families before, during, and long after birth. Born from Farah and Stephan’s lived experience as teen parents, the Dieudonne Foundation is redefining maternal care in Indiana by providing culturally competent doula train...

In this candid, wide-ranging conversation, Kara sits down with internationally renowned pianist, composer, author, and educator Sara Davis Buechner for a deeply personal discussion about music, identity, aging, politics, and what it means to stay creatively alive in an increasingly hostile cultural climate. From growing up in a Baltimore suburb to entering Juilliard on her 17th birthday, Sara refl...

Kara sits down with psychologist and resilience researcher Dr. Sherry Hamby, author of the forthcoming book, STRONGER THAN YOU THINK: BUILDING LIFELONG RESILIENCE. Dr. Hamby shares what decades of research — and lived experience — reveal about healing after trauma, why resilience is not about perfection or “toughing it out,” and how people can truly flourish after hardship. Together, Kara and Sher...

It’s inspiration week with Eliz Taylor! The insanely creative and legendary marketing exec joins me to share the down & dirty of her shopping mall maven career in a very male-dominated culture. Eliz was at the forefront of the rise of the shopping malls during the 80s, where she coined the name “Mall of America” and other historic marketing feats (creating the largest EVER NBA All-Star game au...

Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger lives a double life. She’s a pediatric endocrinologist and also a podcaster, blogger, and author. Her podcasts are Best of Both Worlds with co-host Laura Vanderkam, and Best Laid Plans. Her first book, BEST LAID PLANS, is now available with Sourcebooks. We affirm during our conversation that not everything goes according to plan. SARAH HART-UNGER Website: The Shu Box Podcast:...

Some decisions can be the easiest to acknowledge and the hardest to implement. Matt Bays’ first memoir, LEATHER & LACE: A GAY MAN, LOST LOVE, AND A ROAD TRIP WITH HIS DEAD SISTER, chronicles his coming out story. His latest book utilizes his coaching expertise: HOW TO FIND AND KEEP A GAY MAN: 69 SPICY TIPS FOR LASTING LOVE (Sourcebooks, April 2026). Matt shares his journey of becoming. MATT BA...