The Story Blender

This week I caught up with acclaimed Cowboy Poet Brigid Reedy. She is a singer, songwriter, fiddler, poet, and storyteller who has become a singular young voice representing her beloved home state of Montana. At just twenty-three years old, she has already performed at the Grand Ole Opry, the National Storytelling Festival, and Carnegie Hall. We talk about what it means to “feel” a story, how impo...

This week I caught up with bestselling author and writing instructor Vincent Davis. We chat about the only Latin I know (it might surprise you), complex villains, how the best fiction rhymes with reality, how story is its own teacher, and agenda-driven fiction vs. dilemma-driven fiction. Great insights! Give it a listen and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any future Story Blender episodes. 

Listen as I chat with the Real Book Spy, Ryan Steck, about his writing, his editing, and his phenomenally successful website the Real Book Spy. He’s an expert on all things thrillers, espionage, and suspense. We talk about his favorite authors, how he got started by being expelled from school when he was a young teenager, and how he was able to turn things around. He also has a new book out entitl...

On this week’s episode of the Story Blender, award-winning mystery writer Lori Roy joins me to talk about getting to know characters, evocative settings, and her latest novel LAKE COUNTY. We also discuss the importance of having an emotional plot shift within every scene and the benefits of doing so. Check it out, give it a listen, and subscribe!

A native of Pasadena, Paul Roland has been pursuing filmmaking since high school and graduated from Cal State Northridge. His directorial debut, "Exemplum," was produced on a budget of $9,500 with a skeleton crew of four people. He credits Ingmar Bergman, Fritz Lang, and James Cameron as the three primary influences on his filmmaking style. Check it out, give it a listen and subscribe!

This week I caught up with award winning author Cara Putman as we chat about suspense, motivation, what creates tension and weaving ethical and mortal dilemmas into your stories to write books readers won’t want to put down. Grab a copy of her latest book “The Vanish”. Check it out, give it a listen and subscribe! 

This week I catch up with author and fiction instructor Matthew Salesses. He has written a book on writing called CRAFT IN THE REAL WORLD and tackled some of the big questions authors have regarding critiquing each others’ work. Learn how to offer and receive helpful feedback on your writing, how to stay motivated, and how to remain on-task in your project. Join us for a fun and interesting interv...

Listen as I chat with Kathleen Antrim, and D.P. Lyle, both some of the mastermind behind the outliers online writing university program. Doug is one of the countries, foremost, experts on forensic medicine in fiction, catheters written, and planned many writers conferences over the years. I pick their brains about what makes a story work the best advice that their mentors have shared with them how...

Listen to the fascinating conversation I have with humorist and acclaimed storyteller Andy Offutt Irwin. He shares insights on coming up with stories of your own to tell by looking at quests, obstacles, choices, and new wisdom. We talk about the difference between a comedian and a humorist, what (actually) makes something funny, vegetarian roadkill, and more. Check it out, give it a listen and sub...

This week I catch up with #1 international best selling author Robert Dugoni. As both an acclaimed writer and popular conference speaker, Robert is an expert at both understanding story and delivering thrilling novels. Join us as we chat about trusting your reader, leaving out what readers can presume, what it really means to show and not tell, and creating honest and authentic characters. We also...

This week I chat with New York Times bestselling author Christopher Reich, about his latest novel, Matterhorn , and his writing process. We talk about the importance of believability in stories (even if they’re spy thrillers and international intrigue novels), some of his favorite authors, how to get started if you have the passion to write a story, and the dangers of reaching for a sandwich on a...

Listen as I chat with novelist and screenwriter Janice Hallett from London. We talked about her latest book, her writing process, her world travels, and her unique style or writing epistolary novels. She has a new novel out now and she shares from her heart about the importance of fiction, or emotion and empathy in stories, and what she hopes you as a reader will take away from your books. Give it...

On this week’s episode of The Story Blender, I speak with noted reality television, and unscripted TV show expert Troy Devolld. We talk about how reality TV has matured and grown in recent years, the not-so-secret secrets to developing a great show (hint, hint, it has to do with authenticity not just conflict.) We also discuss what it means to reinvent yourself (and it might not mean what you thin...

Join me as I speak with the NYT #1 bestselling author of the blockbuster Gray Man series, Mark Greaney. He shares his insights into writing action scenes that really work, avoiding fire and steam warehouses, reaching readers on an emotional level even when you’re writing a kinetic story, training with SWAT teams for authenticity, and more. Check it out and be sure to check out his latest book, THE...

Join me as I speak with New York Times and international bestselling author, Jean Kwok . We chat about her latest book, THE LEFTOVER WOMAN, and her journey from studying poetry to becoming a novelist (via a physics degree from Harvard). Also, you’ll learn about her approach of outlining what she’s done as well as where she’s going, and the job that she really wanted to get in order to become a wri...

In this wide-ranging conversation with award-winning author and investigative reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan , we chat about the importance of cause and effect in fiction (an insanely important and yet rarely talked about aspect of storytelling), the difference between mystery and suspense, following the gold coins your imagination lays out for you, trusting the creative process and her latest novel...

You’ve seen him on television on shows like BOSCH and TRUE DETECTIVE. Now, listen to Jon Lindstrom as he shares insights into the writing process and how his acting career prepared him to write his debut novel HOLLYWOOD HUSTLE. Give is a listen!

This week I talk with Amina Akhtar about her latest book, ALMOST SURELY DEAD, and her advice for overcoming self-doubt, the importance of persistence and finding your voice, how to write a “zero draft,” and being honest in your stories—whether you write humor or thrillers or anything in between. Check it out and subscribe to get our weekly podcast so you never miss an episode.  For more informatio...

If you’ve ever thought about writing a screenplay and don’t know where to start, you’re going to love this week’s episode of The Story Blender. Listen as I chat with Bob Saenz, a screeenwriter, author, and film writing instructor on secrets to humor, horror, characterization, and tons of inside tips to writing for Hollywood (which, you’ll soon learn doesn’t even exist…) Keep your pen handy to take...

Listen as I chat with world-renowned artist and motivational speaker, Joe Castillo. He has performed his sandart stories in front of Pope Francis, presidents, kings and in 28 countries. Learn what he looks for in a story, how he connects with audiences world wide and some of the mentors that have encouraged him along the way.  Check him out at https://joecastillo.com

Listen as I chat with novelist Emily Bleeker as we talk about improv (and what writers can learn from it), honesty in fiction, slipping into the skin of your characters, the important of telling yourself that you’re a writer, showing compassion to yourself and the drawbacks and rewards of reading your reviews. We also discuss her latest book WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES. Check her out at https://emilyblee...

In this episode, I caught up with acclaimed author, Carol Van Den Hende. Carol’s mission is unlocking optimism as a writer, speaker, strategist, Board member and Climate Reality Leader. Listen as we chat about writing tips and her latest book, Always Orchid .  You check her out at https://carolvandenhende.com

Listen to my conversation with international bestselling author Tess Gerritsen as we discuss the weapons at our disposal (that you might include in a story without planning to), writing without an outline, surprising yourself, the importance of writing yourself into a corner, emotional bridges into stories, the centrality of conflict, and what to do if you’re a chicken farmer and you find a body i...

Listen as I chat with best-selling international best-selling author, Karen Dionne, about her breakout novel, The Marsh King’s Daughter, the differences between the major motion picture, and her story writing tips, perseverance, and the joys of writing in Michigan. You can check her out at https://karen-dionne.com/

Allison Brennan is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 45 books, including the long-running Lucy Kincaid series. She is currently writing the Quinn & Costa FBI and the Angelhart PI series; North of Nowhere  is her first stand-alone thriller. Allison lives in Arizona with her husband and her youngest two of five children. She loves cats, hiking, base...