This week I talk with Kiran Singh Sirah, an award-winning Storytelling Industry leader and Past President of the International Storytelling Center. His work in peace-building through storytelling has received recognition from UNESCO, The White House, and The United Nations. Kiran and I explore the power of stories to build bridges and understanding between different groups and cultures. Join us as we discuss Telling Stories that Matter, no matter what background you might have!

This Christmas and holiday season I sat down with storyteller, performer, and conference speaker Keith Ferrin. He has presented and performed entire books of the Bible, created biblical storytelling programs for Christmas, and spoken at events worldwide. We talk about his journey toward becoming a storyteller, his three words of advice on how to enhance, improve and avoid different aspects of your presentation, and keys to great presentations no matter who your audience is. Give it a listen!

This week I speak with New York Times bestselling author Travis Thrasher. He’s a prolific author who has written an astonishing 100 books including memoirs and fiction. His latest collaboration is That Deserves a Wow by sports broadcaster Chris Myers. We discuss writing stories from your life and the types of moments to include, what lies at the heart of all great stories (regardless of the genre), and how to apply fiction writing techniques to nonfiction. Check it out!

This week I chat with acclaimed author and radio personality, Chris Fabry. His 80+ novels have won numerous awards and sold to readers all over the world. We talk about his writing process, advice for storytellers at any stage in their journey, why it’s vital to get your stories out there, the importance of family storytelling, and hunting stories that might or might not be true. (Don’t worry, no real animals were harmed in the making of this podcast!) Give it a listen!

Acclaimed author and screenwriter Adam Hamdy joins me this week to talk about story, storytelling, and his latest thriller, DEADBEAT. We explore finding and losing your storytelling voice, giving your characters agency, how your character’s reaction is really a means of revelation, and whether or not you can have a character who is both the hero and a villain at the same time. Join us for a fascinating and interesting interview. Check it out!

This week I caught up with prolific author Josh Corin. He has written six Deadpool graphic novels for Marvel aComics and has a new twisty novel out called ASSUME NOTHING. We talk about why high stakes matter in a story, transgressions that characters make, writing about people you don’t understand, irony leading to resonance, and what it means to throw rocks at your protagonist. It’s a great conversation. Check it out!

This week, I caught up with long-time editor and author Tiffany Yates Martin. We discussed what it truly means to be successful as an author—who defines success and where your sense of fulfillment should come from. We delved into the ups and downs, the highlights, and the heartaches of writing, as well as her latest book,  The Intuitive Author: How to Grow & Sustain A Happier Writing Career. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation, only on The Story Blender!

This week I chat with Jonathan Rogers, acclaimed author and writing instructor, who has worked for decades helping authors improve their craft. Based in Nashville, he hosts a weekly podcast on the craft of writing. We talk about writing as a way of loving your readers, paying attention, writing on the surface, books that every author should read, and more. Bonus thought: Learn why writing doesn’t happen between your ears. Check it out!

This week I catch up with award-winning storyteller and folklore expert Linda Poland. She has traveled the world telling stories and was the Resident Storyteller for the town of Jonesborough, Tennessee, the unofficial capital of storytelling in the United States. Listen to her folksy wisdom on storytelling, how a report card inspired her 40 years later, and the one sentence that made all the difference to her as a storyteller. 

Exciting news! Bestselling author J.T. Ellison is joining Steven James on The Story Blender podcast! 🎙️✨ Dive deep into the craft of storytelling as they discuss the art of writing thrillers, character development, and the twists that keep readers on the edge of their seats. Don't miss this chance to hear from one of the masters of suspense!