The Story Blender

This week, Jennifer Fawcett joins me to talk about how playwriting and novel writing intersect and inform each other.  We explore what a scene is and why scenes in plays are longer than they often are in novels. We also talk about the importance of surprise, the difference between motivation and intention and her latest thriller Keep This For Me. Give it a listen!

This week I talk with acclaimed author Jerome Charyn, who has been a professional writer for 70 years. We explore the music of sentences, the lyrical landscape of New York City, looking for magic in the stories we write and tell, the importance of the first and last sentence, and how every sentence in Hamlet destroys you. Check it out!

This week, crime writer Victoria Dowd joins me to discuss the art of the red herring, how to plant clues in plain sight in a way that no one will notice, locked room mysteries, and coming up with (almost!) impossible crimes. We also discuss her latest historical mystery, Death in the Aviary. Check it out!

This week on The Story Blender I talk with award-winning author Carol VanDenHende about the power of letter writing to the people who’ve impacted you in your life. We dive into how stories can bridge differences, the freedom that comes from accepting that you are enough, what 5-year-olds can teach us about narrative theory, and using stories as a force for good. Give it a listen, and check out her Orchid trilogy for some powerful, poignant novels. 

This week on The Story Blender podcast I had the pleasure of sitting down with Brent Weeks—New York Times bestselling author of The Night Angel Trilogy and The Lightbringer Series.

We talked about building complex worlds that feel alive, the discipline it takes to write sweeping multi-book sagas, and how he balances the demands of storytelling with the surprises his characters throw at him along the way. We also discussed the importance of being a whole person while still giving your all to the stories you tell.

If you’ve ever wondered how to weave together epic-scope storytelling with intimate character moments—or what it takes to sustain a fantasy series over years—this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts.

Just curious what’s your favorite epic fantasy world you’ve gotten lost in?

This week on The Story Blender, I caught up with bestselling authors Kathleen Antrim & D.P. Lyle at Killer Nashville, one of the country’s premier crime-writing conferences.

We chat about crime writing, mysteries, thrillers, and twists. Both of them have taught writing seminars throughout the country and founded Outliers University, an online school for anyone serious about improving their writing craft. Check it out. 

Join me this week to listen to an interview I did a few years ago with legendary thriller author, Dean Koontz. With hundreds of millions of books in print and a loyal following around the world, Dean is one of the most influential authors of our generation. Enjoy!

Author, and storyteller who also serves as the Executive Director of the Joseph Campbell Foundation. John Bucher is a master at exploring the profound connections between myth, culture, and personal identity. 

He’s been featured on platforms such as the BBC, the History Channel, the LA Times, and The Hollywood Reporter, among many others and has collaborated with everyone from Academy Award nominees and Emmy winners to magicians and YouTube influencers. Listen in as we discuss pursuit, desire, what a story really is, and the power of myth to change culture and change our lives. Don’t miss it!

This week on The Story Blender, I spoke with award-winning, bestselling author Joe Hart about what drives a story forward—especially if it taps into mystery or suspense. What are the dynamics that shape those two things? How are they related to each other? We explored the dark corners of psychological suspense and how to craft twists that truly land as we chatted about his latest novel, I BECOME HER.

If you enjoy stories that challenge your assumptions and keep you guessing, you won’t want to miss this one.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts—and let us know: what’s a twist that genuinely surprised you?

This week I had the chance to chat with author Kerry Nietz—yes, the mind behind  the novel Amish Vampires in Space. We talked about where the idea came from, what it means to write organically, and why the slow-and-steady approach can be just as powerful as writing in bursts of inspiration.

We also explored a few creatures we wish were real, and the joy of discovering a story as it unfolds. Kerry’s creative journey is unique, thoughtful, and a reminder that there’s no one “right” way to tell a great story.

Listen in wherever you get your podcasts. I think you’ll enjoy this one.