The Story Blender

From the Story Vault: An expert in the kidnapping and ransom world, K.J. Howe is an international bestselling author and avid traveler who has raced camels in Jordan, surfed in Hawaii, and dived with great white sharks in South Africa. She offers great insights on writing believable female protagonists as we explore her critically-acclaimed book SKYJACK.

Kenny Tedford is one of only two deaf people in the world with a master’s degree in storytelling, which he earned at 55, almost half a century after being told by teachers and psychologists that he would never complete the third grade. Oxygen deprivation in utero resulted in him being born deaf, partially blind, partially paralyzed on his left side, and unable to speak clearly until the age of 10....

From the Story Vault: Acclaimed author Karin Slaughter is published in 120 countries, has sold more than 35 million books, and serves as the Director-at-Large for International Thriller Writers. Listen in to catch hold of her passion for sharing empowering and honest stories of women as she discusses PIECES OF HER, her eighteenth novel. Author A.E. Schwartz joins as a special guest host.

Minton Sparks has worked as a spoken word performance artist for many years. Fusing music, poetry, and an intoxicating gift for storytelling, Minton Sparks paints word pictures of the rural South that put you square in the middle of the people and the places she knows like the back of her hand. Minton is a wildly original poet, performance artist, novelist, teacher, and essayist whose appearances...

Jon Land is the USA Today bestselling author of 50 books, including ten titles in the critically acclaimed Caitlin Strong series. His works have received awards and accolades including multiple International Book Awards, the USA Books Best Book Award, the Beverly Hills Book Award for Best Mystery, and an American Book Fest Best Book Award for Mystery/Suspense. For three years Jon wrote in the MURD...

Alan Jacobson is a USA Today Bestselling author of jaw-dropping FBI & black ops thrillers with 20-plus years of New York City publishing industry experience. Alan’s latest thriller, RED DEATH, is available now wherever books are sold.

Carol Van Den Hende is an author, speaker, and strategist who is a Climate Reality leader and board member as well as a mom of twins. Her latest novel, Goodbye, Orchid, recently won the American Fiction Award for urban fiction, the Pinnacle Award for multicultural fiction, and was named a “Most Anticipated Fall Read” by Parade, Buzzfeed and Travel+Leisure.

Chris Fabry is an award- winning author and radio personality who was recently inducted into the Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications Hall of Fame. A native of West Virginia, Chris and his wife, Andrea, live in Arizona and are the parents of nine children. Chris has won five Christy Awards, an ECPA Christian Book Award, and two Awards of Merit from Christianity Today. H...

Bobby Norfolk has been a story-performer, actor, and author for 43 years. He is a recipient of The NSN Circle of Excellence Award and has traveled internationally promoting his craft to all who will listen. He was a National Park Service Ranger at The Gateway Arch and Historic Old Courthouse in St. Louis for 10 years honing his Living History programs for the stage. In 2018, Bobby was awarded the...

Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of The Line Between, The House of Bathory duology, Iscariot, The Legend of Sheba, Demon: A Memoir, Havah: The Story of Eve, and the Books of Mortals series with NYT bestselling author Ted Dekker. A notorious night-owl, she loves watching TV, eating bacon, playing video games with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband. Yo...

From the Story Vault: Acclaimed for his originality, James unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets in his breakneck-speed novels. Called “One of the world’s best storytellers” by the Huffington Post, James shares insights into his writing process and an insider’s look at his thriller The Demon Crown.

Ethan Cross is the international bestselling and award-winning author of more than a dozen novels. His childhood dream of telling stories on a grand scale came to fruition with the release of his first book, The Shepherd, which went on to become an international bestseller published in numerous countries and languages. In addition to writing and working in the publishing industry, Ethan has also s...

Paul Smith is one of the world’s leading experts on organizational storytelling. He’s the author of three Amazon #1 bestsellers: Lead with a Story, Sell with a Story, and The 10 Stories Great Leaders Tell. As part of his research on the effectiveness of storytelling, Paul has interviewed over three hundred CEOs and executives in twenty-five countries and documented over 3,000 individual business s...

Christopher Vogler is a former Hollywood studio executive and story analyst whose book THE WRITER’S JOURNEY has been called “the screenwriter’s Bible.” Christopher attended the USC School of Cinematic Arts before entering the film industry as a script reader. At the Walt Disney Company he wrote an influential memo on story structure that went viral and deeply influenced Hollywood thinking. His wor...

DP Lyle is the bestselling and critically-acclaimed author of twenty-two books, both fiction and nonfiction. His stories have been nominated for the Edgar and Agatha mystery and suspense awards, as well as many others. Along with Jan Burke, he was the co-host of Crime and Science Radio and currently hosts the podcast series Criminal Mischief. He has served as story consultant to many novelists and...

Matt Mikalatos is a creative tour de force from the Pacific Northwest who has written ten books spanning the genres from spiritual non-fiction to young adult fantasy to superhero tales for kids. When he’s not penning a new story, Matt shares inspirational messages nationwide at conferences and special events. On his website he has three suggestions for us all: Learn to love. Learn to be loved, and...

Orson Scott Card is the world-renowned author of a number of popular book series including the Ender saga, The Tales of Alvin Maker, The Homecoming Saga, and the young adult Pathfinder series. He has written in a wide variety of genres including contemporary fantasy, science fiction, biblical novels, frontier fantasy, poetry, and scripts. Born in Washington, he grew up in California, Arizona, and...

As a native of Seattle, Glen Erik Hamilton was raised aboard a sailboat and grew up around the marinas and commercial docks and islands of the Pacific Northwest. His debut novel, Past Crimes, won the Anthony, Macavity, and Strand Critics awards and was nominated for the Edgar, Barry, and Nero awards. Glen lives in Southern California with his family, and frequently returns to his hometown to soak...

From the Story Vault: What makes us afraid? What’s the dividing line between suspense and horror? Listen in as J. D. Barker, the coauthor of DRACUL (the just-released prequel to Dracula) shares insights on these questions and more from decades of experience as an author.

David Rawlings is a writer with thirty years of experience in communication, ranging from journalism to the corporate sector. His latest book, Where the Road Bends, is placed in outback Australia and tackles the theme of destiny and where the road of life takes us all.  Published by Thomas Nelson, the book follows The Baggage Handler, which won the Christy Award for Best First Novel in 2019 and ha...

From the Story Vault: Jacob Krueger is a leading screenwriting consultant. His insights into the world of screenwriting and creativity will shatter your preconceptions as he discusses the weaknesses of three-act structure, how to tap into your subconscious and find your authentic voice. Don’t miss it!

Bil Lepp’s humorous, family-friendly stories have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages. A five time champion of the West Virginia Liar’s Contest, Bil’s stories often contain morsels of truth which present universal themes in clever and witty ways, and audiences all across the country have been delighted by his delightful insights into everyday life. Bil’s books and audio collections ha...

Bob Lenz is one of the country’s premier motivational speakers. He shares inspiring, humorous messages with hundreds of thousands of teens and adults each year, speaking at high schools nationwide. He has been telling stories since 1982, inspiring millions of teens. Bob has a heart for helping the next generation find hope and meaning and connects with them through his down-to-earth style and pers...

From The Story Vault: Edgar Award-winning novelist Meg Gardiner writes fast-paced thrillers full of twists and turns that keep readers guessing until the very end. Her bestselling books have been called “Hitchcockian” by USA Today and been translated into more than 20 languages. Listen in as she shares secrets to twist creation and story craft.

Donna Washington is an internationally known, multiple-award winning storyteller, spoken word recording artist, and author. A highly animated performer, she has been entertaining, educating, and inspiring audiences with her vocal pyrotechnics, elastic face, and deep characterizations for over 30 years. She has been called a “Walking Disney Movie” as she brings folklore, literary tales, and persona...