Uncorking a Story

“Sometimes you need someone outside of your family and friends to tell you, ‘This part doesn’t make sense,’ or ‘Try it this way.’ That honest feedback is what makes your writing stronger.” – Christine Devane  Christine Devane spent 13 years as a second-grade teacher, where she fell in love with story time and noticed something missing on the shelves—books that spoke directly to shy children. Drawi...

Two attributes of being an author are humility and perseverance. You have to push through a whole lot of no’s and believe you have something there—and have the humility to step back, receive critiques, and let your story grow.” — Camille Di Maio In this episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with bestselling historical fiction author Camille Di Maio to talk about her path from a 12-year-old book...

“The stories aren’t about violence—they’re about the preciousness of life. Each one is a reminder that this could happen to anyone.” — Jude Berman Jude Berman grew up surrounded by books and cultural diversity, thanks to her refugee parents. After a career in academic research and running independent presses, she turned her attention to her own writing. In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Jude r...

“Don’t look around—just run your own race. That’s what I’d tell my younger self about writing.”-Melanie Anagnos Melanie Anagnos has worn many hats—waitress, attorney, stay-at-home mom—but her true calling emerged when she pursued her MFA at Sarah Lawrence College. Now, she’s making waves in the crime fiction world with her novel Night Swimming, a police procedural set in her hometown of Paterson,...

“Being disillusioned is a very hard place to be in… but I realized my master’s job was to set me free. In the end, that heartbreak gave me the freedom to discover my own truth.” — Deborah Rudell In this episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with Deborah Rudell, author of Grit and Grace, to explore her extraordinary life. From growing up on the road in a converted school bus, to living on a cont...

“When it goes well, writing feels the way it did when I was eight years old—immersed in the story, not thinking about outcome, just the pure joy of language.” – Jackie Thomas Kennedy Jackie Thomas Kennedy, author of The Other Wife, joins Uncorking a Story to explore the craft of fiction, the role of memory, and the tension between who we are and who we imagine we could be. A Stegner Fellow and wid...

“I wanted to write a character who was a relatable superhero—someone a woman today might connect with, not a god or an alien, but a real person with real struggles.” — Caitlyn Grabenstein In this episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with author and artist Caitlin Grabenstein, the creative force behind the surreal collage brand Cult Class whose work has been commissioned by Netflix, Adobe, Glam...

“From the very outset, people thought, ‘This can’t possibly be true.’ But it was—and the deeper we dug, the stranger it became.” — Jerry Jamison  In this episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with award-winning advertising copywriter turned novelist Jerry Jamison, whose latest book Vanishing Act unearths one of history’s most shocking forgotten stories: a career con man, a faked death, and a do...

“This is not about rejection—it’s about sacrifice.” – Edward Di Gangi Adopted at birth and raised as an only child, Edward Di Gangi never sought the details of his adoption—until a quiet moment in a New Jersey cemetery at age 69 set him on a journey of discovery. That path led to his acclaimed memoir The Gift Best Given, and now to his latest work, Gliding Through Goodbye. In this deeply empatheti...

“It took me 12 years to write it and get it to a publisher… writing a book was a lot harder than an Ironman.” In this heartfelt episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with Betsy Armstrong—writer, mom, athlete, and philanthropist—to explore the winding path that led her to authorship. From losing her mother at 23, to navigating midlife, infertility, and ultimately adopting two children from Russi...

“I flipped twice… my seatbelt wrapped around my neck, so my airway was cut off and I was blue… Doctors called my family in for my last rites that evening.” — Lisa Labozzo In this moving episode of Uncorking a Story, Reiki Master and intuitive healer Lisa Labozzo shares how a life-altering car accident became the catalyst for a spiritual awakening. Once a high-powered fashion executive, Lisa now de...

“I realized I couldn’t write sex scenes, so I went darker. Turns out, murder is more my thing.” — Kaira Rouda Bestselling author Kaira Rouda returns to Uncorking a Story to talk about her latest psychological thriller Jill Is Not Happy—a twisted, funny, and disturbing journey through a seemingly normal marriage gone off the rails. Kaira shares her journey from marketing executive to novelist, her...

“The pain of carrying the weight of this secret for so long was more damaging than the reveal.” – Rob Tonkin At age 14, Rob Tonkin entered the world of radio and climbed his way to the top of the entertainment marketing industry, producing iconic events like the Honda Civic Tour. But behind the success was a lifetime of buried trauma, self-sabotage, and a quest for healing. In this revealing conve...

“Once you start understanding someone as a person, not a role, it’s impossible to make them a villain anymore.” — Christina Adams Today’s episode of Uncorking a Story shines the light on co-authors Anthony and Christina Adams—writing as A.C. Adams—who unpack the personal odyssey that inspired their debut novel, Chasing Shadows. Fueled by Christina’s search for her vanished father and the shocking...

“You have to start walking the path before the path is revealed to you.” – Samantha Greene Woodruff In this lively episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike sits down with bestselling author Samantha Greene Woodruff to unpack her unexpected journey from Nickelodeon executive to acclaimed historical fiction writer. Sam shares how yoga teacher training led to her first novel, how a fascination with lobotom...

“There’s never been a movie or TV series about Casey Stengel—and he’s the most animated, fun-loving, Robin Williams-type of character ever. And I intend to change that.” — Mark Galley In this very special episode of Uncorking a Story, I’m joined by Emmy-winning PA announcer for the NY Mets Colin Cosell—yes, that Cosell—as we welcome author, creative force, and lifelong storyteller Mark Galley. Mar...

“I don’t want to tell anyone what to think—I want to expose things and say, here’s what’s going on. What do you think about it?” — Jacqueline Friedland In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike Carlon sits down with bestselling author and former attorney Jacqueline Friedland to talk about her latest novel, Counting Backwards, and her inspiring journey from the world of law to the world of fiction...

“I want women to feel seen, supported, and connected—this chapter of life isn’t the end, it’s the beginning of something new.” — Lauren Tetenbaum Lauren Tetenbaum is an author, therapist, and advocate who helps millennial and younger women navigate the big transitions of life—from perinatal shifts to perimenopause and beyond. In this warm and insightful conversation, Lauren joins Uncorking a Story...

“The essence of art is taking life’s randomness and shaping it into something meaningful.” — Lina Chern Lina Chern’s debut mystery Play the Fool earned major acclaim, winning the 2024 Mary Higgins Clark Award. Now she’s back with Tricks of Fortune, a darker, more nuanced follow-up inspired by a real-life incident in her community. In this candid conversation, Lina and Mike talk about the writer’s...

“You have to believe before you see—if you believe your body can rebuild itself, it will surprise you.” — Dr. Grazyna Pajunen Dr. Grazyna Pajunen never set out to be an author—but after 14 years of helping clients in the anti-aging space, she realized there was a need to put the basics in writing. In this inspiring episode of Uncorking a Story, we explore the world of biohacking through the lens o...

This episode is brought to you by Mike Carlon's latest novel, the Waiting Room. Check out that #1 New Release in Inspirational Spiritual Fiction Here We all have resources inside ourselves. We can get through just about anything. — Kirsten Mickelwait In this moving and insightful episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike welcomes Kirsten Mickelwait—copywriter by day, author by night—whose memoir The Ghos...

“Each time I speak, someone comes up crying, saying they finally feel seen. That’s how I know the healing matters.” —Babs Walters Babs Walters has spent her life helping others find their voice—first through corporate training, and now through the courageous act of telling her own story. In this heartfelt episode of Uncorking a Story, Babs joins me to discuss her raw and inspiring memoir Facing th...

If you remove the rule of law, the dark side of human nature is very powerful—and in this period, there was no law. — Jeffrey Konvitz In this riveting episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike chats with entertainment attorney, screenwriter, producer, and bestselling author Jeffrey Konvitz—known for The Sentinel and now Circus of Satan. Jeffrey takes us deep into the violent, forgotten history of the Iri...

In this inspiring episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike sits down with trailblazing journalist, bestselling author, and entrepreneur Jackie Lapin. From being one of the first female sportswriters in America to building a top PR firm and now creating a global community for history lovers through Historic Traveler International, Jackie shares her remarkable journey through storytelling, spiritual awake...

“Nobody writes alone—and if they do, I don’t think they write well.” In this riveting episode of Uncorking a Story, debut novelist and former fashion exec Kay Smith-Blum shares how a haunting dream, buried Cold War secrets, and a real-life radioactive whale led to her award-winning novel Tangles. We dig into her writing process, the staggering truth behind the Hanford nuclear site, and the twists...