True Fiction Project

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast . This week we are revisiting an episode that was recorded October 12, 2023 to mark the October 2023 events between Israel and Hamas, marking the most significant escalation of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict in several decades.     With the heaviness in the world still today and the events playing out in Israel and the G...

In the last episode of season 4 of the  True Fiction Project , I am honored to welcome the amazing Anand Thakore. I’ve known Anand since we were in school together, and it has been incredible to see his journey and learn of his success as an Anglophone Poet and Hindustani Classical Musician. During this episode we reminisce on some of our school experiences and share stories. Then we dive in to le...

Music is a way for everyone to connect, no matter where they come from or what their beliefs are. Today’s guest Pablo Sáinz-Villegas is on the True Fiction Project Podcast to talk about why music and Spanish guitar is the perfect vehicle for storytelling. He discusses the difference between the guitar and Spanish guitar, and how even though they all may have the same six strings, and the same tuni...

After experiencing a tragic bicycle accident, Mark Berridge spent a year getting his health back. He then decided to write a story to inspire others to keep pushing a little bit further, because they are stronger than they think. This week on the True Fiction Project , Mark Berridge joins Reenita to talk about his accident, and what led him to write his nonfiction book, A Fraction Stronger . Mark...

Learning about her adoption at age 21 was quite impactful for Priya Subberwal, along with the lack of conversation that her adoptive parents had with her afterwards regarding her biological family. Today, I am honored to have Priya join the True Fiction Project , she is a long time friend of mine, and is a wonderful storyteller. We start the episode discussing her business, Disha Limited, where sh...

What would it be like to experience a 26 mile dinner party? Today, on the True Fiction Project, I am joined by author and screenwriter, Daniel Finkel. Daniel shares with us his story Mr. Taffles Pants of Insanity , how it came about, and the adventure he has taken to write this story and get it out to the public. He talks about other screenplays he has written and what his next steps are for this...

Raised as an evangelical Christian, Bethel Swift started her dating journey late in life, after realizing that God was not going to drop the right guy in her lap. Throughout her three part book, Conversations with Good Men , Bethel shares poems of her experience as a daughter and then about her dating life. In this episode, you will hear what propelled Bethel to turn her personal experiences into...

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast . Today we feature Chef Avanish Martins. Avanish discusses how his restaurant, Cavatina, came to be and how he made the decision to focus on Goan cuisine. He discusses what “toddy trappers” are and why their skill is so essential to Goan food. Avinash describes how he tells stories through his cuisine and the beautiful way he ties...

Richard Sparks has been successful in so much of his work from writing The Schoolmaster , performed by Rowan Atkinson, to aiding an opera singer to launch her career. The one area he couldn’t seem to get into was fiction writing, until now that is. On today’s episode, I am so excited to have writer and author Richard Sparks on the show to discuss his prior pieces of work as well as his new fantasy...

Denise has an incredible skill of turning the truth of WWII into a fiction book that people will both learn the history from while also finding the story engaging and entertaining. An award winning writer, teacher, actress, director and producer, Denise is a wealth of knowledge, and I am so grateful to have her back on the show. She shares why America and the world has such a fascination with spie...

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast . Today I am joined by writer, podcaster and CEO of Tulla Productions, Nicole Christie. Nicole is a fabulous storyteller and helps others both in the corporate world and entrepreneurs to master their storytelling skills. She talks about her podcast, Here for Me , which highlights badassery stories from people who have gone through...

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast . This week we have Taylor Koekkoek on the show, who is the author of the short stories series, Thrillville USA . Taylor talks to us about the inspiration behind the short stories and how pieces of the stories are pulled from his life. He talks about how he included Oregon’s opioid crisis into the story and why he felt it was rele...

Welcome to this week’s True Fiction Project Podcast . During this episode, we are mashing up the public speaker and comedian interviews and true fiction pieces from season 3! These episodes include: How to Human 101, Brought Together by Bagels, and Faking the Grade . Each interview and story has something unique to share, ranging from an alien learning to read human body language and facial expres...

Welcome to the start of season 4 of the True Fiction Project Podcast . This episode was recorded October 11, 2023 and rushed to release to mark the October 2023 events between Israel and Hamas, marking the most significant escalation of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict in several decades. With the heaviness in the world today and the events playing out in Israel and the Gaza strip, I intro...

Welcome to this week’s True Fiction Project Podcast. During this special episode, we are mashing up the actors and musicians interviews and true fiction pieces from season 2! These episodes include: A Good Samaritan, The Night That Dancing Saved By Life, and The Garden of Earthly Delights. Each interview and story has something unique to share, ranging from a woman who lived in a cult, a man who d...

Welcome to this revisited episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast . I have the privilege of speaking with Les Bird about his fascinating history as a Marine Police Officer in 1976 during the Hong Kong Handover. Les has now written two books about his 21 years in the Marines and his work in helping Vietnamese refugees arrive safely in Hong Kong following the end of the Vietnam War. He recounts...

In this revisited episode of the True Fiction Project , I speak with Diann Wingert, psychotherapist turned business mindset coach and the host of the Driven Woman Podcast.  Why are people so fascinated by Anna Delvey/Anna Sorokin, who bilked her way through the New York social scene? As a psychotherapist, Diann was particularly intrigued by her motivation – what drove this seemingly successful you...

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast ! This week's episode is the finale for season 3 and we have actor, writer, and stand up comedian Shenuque Tissera on the show to celebrate! Shenuque shares his story of how he went from a Doctor of Geography to a Stand Up Comedian. He talks about the expectations his parents had of him after immigrating to the US, and his fea...

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast! This week is part 2 from our last episode. During this episode, Jenny Brav discusses her relationship with her father and how she incorporated those experiences in her new book. She talks about finding a “dad box” which held information about her father she never knew since he passed away when she was a child. Jenny talks about t...

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast ! This week I am speaking with author Jenny Brav. She will be releasing her first book, The Unbroken Horizon on August 15, 2023. During this episode, Jenny describes the connection between her own life, where she did humanitarian work for a decade, and her two main characters. Jenny also explains how her humanitarian work led her...

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast ! This week on the podcast, I have the pleasure of talking to Gastor Almonte. He is a Comedy Central featured comedian and storyteller from Brooklyn NY. Gastor shares his experience being a first generation immigrant, and what it was like having parents who immigrated from the Dominican Republic. He shares the benefits he has beca...

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast ! On today’s episode we have award-winning writer, teacher, actress, director and producer, Denise Frisino. Denise is currently writing the third book of The Orchid Trilogy which is a series of books sharing stories of wartime fiction. In this episode, she shares what inspired her to write her books and describes the strong women...

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast! On today’s episode, I am joined by Bobby Singh Bansal. He is a British born historian, author, documentary filmmaker who has a focus on the history of the Sikh community and their relations over the generations with the British. Bobby is so passionate about carrying on the traditions and culture of the Punjab, as the history is a...

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast! Today I have Ann Bancroft with me on the show, one of the world's preeminent polar explorers and an internationally recognized leader who is dedicated to inspiring women and girls around the world to unleash the power of their dreams. Ann was the first woman to participate in and successfully finish expeditions to the Arctic...

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast! Today I have the author of Angels, Herpes and Psychedelics, Beth Bell on the show. Beth discusses the shift in her life from working in corporate pharmaceuticals to uncovering her soul's desires with the use of Earth Angels and psychedelics. She talks to us about her experience becoming a flower whisperer and how we can quiet...