The Story Blender

Simon Brooks was born in England and raised on traditional tales. His work as a storyteller began nearly two decades ago and since then he has taken his powerful performances all over New England and the U.S.  With his bodhrán and stories full of memorable characters, Simon combines the intensity of a solo performance with the intimacy of a face-to-face conversation. His CDs have garnered awards from Parent’s Choice and Storytelling World, and he has a recently-released book of folk and fairy tales, Under the Oaken Bough.

From the Story Vault: Adam is a unique and multi-talented comic, author and actor. He has been named one of Esquire’s "25 Comics to Watch," and Variety’s "10 Comics to Watch." With three comedy albums released and available on iTunes, he has appeared on Conan, Flophouse and many other shows. His writing has appeared in major publications such as Spin, Village Voice, and The Atlantic.

Iain Thomas is the international number-one bestselling author of dozens of books and creative projects and is one of the world’s most popular writers and poets. His works have won multiple awards for creativity. His prose and poetry appears on monuments, in university collections, has been quoted by everyone from Steven Spielberg to Arianna Huffington, is regularly tattooed on people, and has been read in front of the British Royal Family.

From the Story Vault: Lynne Constantine is an internationally bestselling author who writes under the pen name Liv Constantine with her sister Valerie. Their debut thriller, The Last Mrs. Parrish, was a Reese Witherspoon book club selection, a People Magazine book of the week, and is in development for television. Their most recent book, The Last Time I Saw You, was published by HarperCollins in May 2019. Be sure to check it out!

Candice Fox is an international and #1 New York Times bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. She began collaborating with James Patterson in 2015 and their first novel, Never Never, was a huge bestseller in Australia and went straight to the #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list as well as to the top of the charts in the UK. Since then they have written Black & Blue, Fifty Fifty, Liar Liar, and Hush Hush. Candice considers herself a crafter, animal-lover and wine drinker and lives in Sydney with her family.

From the Story Vault: Frank Peretti is a New York Times bestselling author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction that have sold over 15 million copies and been adapted for film. A “natural storyteller,” Frank takes readers on imaginative journeys that weave together suspense and unseen worlds. Listen in as Frank shares his insights on the art of story!

John Raab is a publishing industry professional and podcast producer who is also the founder of Suspense Magazine and the CEO of Suspense Publishing. If you like thrillers, suspense, mystery, or horror, be sure to check out these resources. John was also the impetus to me starting The Story Blender, so it's exciting for me to have him on the show today.

From the Story Vault: Steve Berry is the New York Times and international bestselling author of more than a dozen novels and our first returning guest on The Story Blender. He weaves history, mystery, an intrigue together to create compelling stories. Listen in to hear his take on storytelling and to hear him discuss his latest novel, The Malta Exchange!

Bestselling author Travis Thrasher has written over 50 books ranging from fiction to nonfiction and love stories to supernatural thrillers. Travis worked for thirteen years at Tyndale House Publishers after graduating college, an experience that was helpful in allowing him to understand the writing life as well as training him to work with a variety of personalities. His inspirational stories have included collaborations with filmmakers, musicians, athletes, celebrities, and comedians.

From the Story Vault: Megan Collins is an author whose debut novel THE WINTER SISTER is being called gripping, luminous, and mysterious. She holds a MFA in creative writing and has taught her subject at a university level. Her work has been published by Blinders Literary Journal, Truthdig, The American Journal of Poetry, Quail Bell Magazine, and numerous others.