The Story Blender

From the Story Vault: Carolyn Wheat is a former criminal defense lawyer whose Cass Jameson mysteries take the reader into the gritty world of Brooklyn night court. Two of the books were nominated for Edgar awards. She is also the author of numerous short stories which have won her an Agatha, an Anthony, a Shamus, and a Macavity award. Her book How to Write Killer Fiction is a must-read for anyone...

Simon Gervais was born in Montréal, Québec, and joined the Canadian military as an infantry officer, later commissioning as a second lieutenant. During his time in the military, Simon received extensive training in advanced reconnaissance and small-unit tactics. In 2001, he became a federal agent, and over the next eleven years served as both a drug investigator and a close-protection specialist t...

From the Story Vault: Andrew Mayne was the star of A&E's magic reality show Don't Trust Andrew Mayne. As one of the most innovative illusionists in the country and a critically-acclaimed novelist, his passion is to always entertain audiences and readers. Andrew gives insights into his writing process including how to write a novella in 24 hours.

Mike Maden grew up working in the canneries, feed mills, and slaughterhouses of California’s San Joaquin Valley. A lifelong fascination with history and warfare ultimately lead to a Ph. D. in political science focused on conflict and technology in international relations. Years later he earned a Th. M. from Dallas Theological Seminary. Like millions of others, he first became a Tom Clancy fan afte...

George R.R. Martin is the international best-selling author of A GAME OF THRONES. One of the world’s most popular and imaginative storytellers, George talks shop as he identifies two types of writers (gardeners and architects), shares his love for unpredictable stories, discusses measures of success and failure, and dives into his passion for writing fantasy. You won't want to miss it!

Natalie Jenner is the author of two books, the instant international bestseller THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY and a second novel slated for release in spring 2022. A Goodreads Choice Award runner-up for historical fiction, THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY was named one of the best books of 2020 by Amazon, was a USA Today and #1 national bestseller, and has been sold for translation in twenty countries. Born in E...

Award-winning author Tim Shoemaker is a master of writing exciting whodunits and mysteries for young adults. In addition to writing eleven books, Tim also speaks at schools, churches, and writing conferences. He has been a full time speaker and writer since 2004, lives in the greater Chicago area, and has been happily married to Cheryl, the love of his life, for more than 30 years. Actively involv...

Kendall Haven is the only West Point graduate to ever become a professional storyteller. The author of two internationally-celebrated books on the science of story structure, Haven holds a graduate degree in Oceanography from Oregon State University and spent eight years as a Senior Research Scientist for the Department of Energy. He regularly serves as a consultant to government agencies such as...

Kevin Cordi was the first full-time high school storytelling teacher in the country and is committed to engendering a love of storytelling in the next generation. He is considered one of the nation’s “primary advocates for youth storytelling” and has also taught storytelling at both the university and secondary level.  Over the last 25 years, he has told stories in over forty states as well as Eng...

Join us for an engrossing conversation with spy thriller author Adam Brookes. After reporting for the BBC in over 30 countries, Adam turned his attention to writing spy novels. Listen to him share the encounter in China that motivated him to write his espionage series. You’ll also hear some of his recommendations for other stellar spy novels.

Joel Burcat is a practicing environmental lawyer and author who writes legal and speculative thrillers, as well as imaginative stories about everything from beer to murder. His realistic environmental legal thrillers explore many facets of life, although he has a true fascination with unexpected twists. His characters’ reasons for doing things are as important as their actions. Joel has completed...

From the Story Vault: Travel writer turned novelist Nicolás Obregón read hundreds of crime novels to research the genre before penning his stunning debut novel BLUE LIGHT YOKOHAMA. His insights are invaluable for storytellers of all types, and especially for anyone thinking of writing a novel.

According to Forbes, Rowan Gibson is “one of the most recognized thought leaders in business” and is “the maestro of business innovation.” He is the internationally bestselling author of three books that have been published in 25 languages, a top keynote speaker in 64 countries, and a trusted strategic adviser to both the private and public sector worldwide. In 2015, Rowan received the prestigious...

From the Story Vault: Peter James is an international bestselling author and one of the world’s premiere crime writers. Listen in as we talk psychopaths, both fictional and real, what makes for a great crime story, and the three aspects of emotionally engaging fiction: character, research and plot. Also learn about Peter’s writing process and get inside info about upcoming releases.

Lisa Wingate is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the instant NYT bestsellers The Book of Lost Friends and Before We Were Yours, which remained on the NYT list for over two years and has sold over 2.5 million copies. She is a Goodreads Choice award winner for historical fiction, A Christy Award winner, and a Southern Book Prize winner. She lives with her hus...

Erik Bork is an author and screenwriter who has won two Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for his work as a writer-producer on the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers and From the Earth to the Moon, working with executive producer Tom Hanks (and Steven Spielberg, on Band of Brothers). Erik has sold original series pitches to broadcast networks, worked on the writing staff of primetime drama seri...

A special episode of fun, family-friendly stories to get your new year off to a good start, told by world-renowned storytellers Steven James and Bob Stromberg.

Robert J. Morgan is a prolific author and gifted storyteller who has served as a pastor in Nashville for forty years. He’s written more than two dozen bestselling and award-winning books, including the seasonal favorite “12 Stories of Christmas,” and his books have more than 5 million copies in print. In this special Christmas episode of The Story Blender, Robert shares some of his secrets to stor...

Sheila Arnold is a gifted performer who has been using her talent since she was eight years old. She has been a full-time storyteller for seventeen years, traveling through the United States and sharing a variety of stories as well as doing Historic Character Presentations and Christian Monologues. At her core, “Ms. Sheila,” as she is commonly called, is a Professional Imaginator with a passion, v...

Tamera Alexander is the USA Today bestselling author of numerous books including Colors of Truth, With This Pledge, A Lasting Impression, A Note Yet Unsung, and To Whisper Her Name. Her richly drawn characters and thought-provoking plots have earned her multiple industry awards including awards include the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian fiction, the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Rom...

Chuck Neighbors is an actor and writer. For over 45 years he has toured throughout North America as well as to 18 countries on 6 continents. His most popular show, a one-man dramatic adaptation of Charles Sheldon’s classic In His Steps, has been featured both radio and television as well as performed before thousands of audiences. Chuck’s published works include 11 books of theater scripts. He has...

From the Story Vault: C.C. Humphreys is a multi-talented actor and novelist who gives a unique perspective on developing characters for fiction and presenting stories orally, even for those who aren’t trained in acting. Listen in as he talks through what led him to write his novel Chasing the Wind.

Leonardo Wild is a professional author with 11 published books, over 200 published articles, and 49 produced scripts. Although he wears many hats, writing has been his livelihood and passion since the age of twelve. Currently the CEO and co-owner of a company dedicated to environmental solutions in Ecuador, Leonardo has travelled extensively. He has sailed across the Atlantic and the Pacific, was...

From The Story Vault: Bina Shah is a journalist and novelist who lives in Karachi, Pakistan and is one of the country's most talented authors. Her 2009 book Slum Child was a bestseller in Italy. Along with teaching writing at a university level, she is also a regular contributor to The International New York Times, offering her perspective on Pakistan's society, culture, and women's rights.

Alex Segura is an acclaimed writer of novels, comic books, and podcasts. He is the author of the Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall, the Pete Fernandez Mystery series (including the the Anthony Award-nominated crime novels Dangerous Ends, Blackout. and Miami Midnight), and the upcoming book Secret Identity. He has also written a number of comic books, most notably the superhero noir The Black Ghost,...