The Downtown Writers Jam

Author Margot Bloomstein isn't a typical guest here in the Bunker. She works in content strategy and advising. But two things brought her to Brad's attention: the first was her work with technology, and—more importantly—the second was Margo's focus on trust and inclusion, two slippery ideals in the world of technology. So, stop by for our talk about her latest book Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap, and stay for their rumination on life, the universe, and everything.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Burt Weissbourd stopped by the Bunker to discuss his latest book In Velvet. But, there's more than just thriller writing in his bones. Burt has spent his life producing stories, from educational films when he was starting out to major Hollywood movies such as Raggedy Man and Ghost Story with the likes of Fred Astair, Sissy Spacek, and Sam Shepard. So, buckle up for this fascinating conversation!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Vanessa Lillie stopped by the Jam Bunker to talk about her book, For the Best, a follow-up to her Amazon Best Selling debut Little Voices. But Vanessa and Brad covered a lot of ground: institutional poverty, partying in college, romance writing, avenues of publishing, and most importantly her son’s love of dinosaurs!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We first caught up with Shannon McLeod way back in 2016 when she published her debut chapbook PATHETIC. Since then, she’s been working on her debut novella, WHIMSY, which was just published by Long Day Press. (It’s been…a process, readers!)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Emma Christie didn't just publish her first book, The Silent Daughter, during the pandemic. She also helped organize the Diary of a Debut Novelist online gathering and conference as a way to connect writers from around the globe. And, as you'll see, all of this makes complete sense. Buckle up for a fascinating conversation as Emma and Brad take a journey through medieval history, storytelling, world travel, and (shockingly) writing!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The brilliant, hilarious, wildly enthusiastic, feminist author Gina Barreca stormed the Bunker this week to talk about her latest edited collection, Fast Funny Women. There's no way to encapsulate Gina in a few sentences: a Ph.D, a member of the Friar's Club, author and editor of twenty-one books, and television pundit and expert. So, obviously, she and Brad talked about growing up working class, finding your voice, teaching, and the joy of storytelling (and laughing).

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We interviewed Angela Jackson-Brown way back in 2014 about her debut novel, Drinking From a Bitter Cup. Seven years later, Brad is thrilled to have her back on to discuss her latest novel, When Stars Rain Down, which will be published by Thomas Nelson, an imprint of HarperCollins, in April of 2021. (And the really big news: Target is carrying this book in all its locations!)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and podcast host Brendan O'Meara stopped by the Bunker today ostensibly to talk about his podcast, Creative Nonfiction, his book Six Weeks in Saratoga, and his current book projectThe Tools of Ignorance: A Memoir of My Father and Baseball. Instead, he and Brad channelled their inner Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick, taking a deep dive into their love of baseball, their playing days, their love of sports, and how that all turned each of them into writers. It's a very special locker room edition of The Jam, so grab a cold beer and join us.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Diana Giovizanno stopped by the Bunker to talk with Brad about her debut novel, The Woman in Red, a historical novel about Anita Garibaldi, a 19th century Brazilian revolutionary. But, she and Brad also spent a lot of time talking about high school and how those years led Diana into the world of historical fiction as she began exploring her own family's past.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've launched a new, short-form video podcast so that we can keep up with all the books hitting the shelves post-pandemic. In our first episode, Pittsburgh comedy-horror writer Lucy Leitner stopped by the Bunker to talk about her latest book, Outrage: Level 10, which came out in February.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices