My exploration of the American publishing landscape with one of our great book critics, Ron Charles.

We discussed (1) the cardinal sin of novels—sentimentality, (2) whether readers will soon care if their books are mass-produced AI slop rather than the expression of flesh-and-blood humans; and (3) how Toni Morrison gave him the most astonishing reading experience of his life.

Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry.

All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

My chat with Scottish literary punk icon Irvine Welsh, who came on to discuss his sequel to Trainspotting, Men In Love.

We covered, (1) the impact of his iconic, generational film thirty years later, (2) how AI is trying to make us all redundant, and how creative expression is how to strike back, and (3) why you don't have to choose between your hooligan and artsy sides of your personality. Just be both.

Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry.

All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

My chat with Teddy Wayne about his latest literary thriller, The Au Pair.

We covered (1) techniques for writing a bingeable book that can beat prestige TV at its own game; (2) the unexpected way he figured out the devilish final twist for his ending, and (3) why ambition and sex are the inexhaustible engines of delectable storytelling.

Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry.

All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

My talk with Silver Linings Playbook author Matthew Quick, discussing his poignant memoir, Dad, Love, Me.

We covered, (1) his effort to end the cycle of generational abuse by caring for his father who now has dementia, (2) how trauma served as both a blessing and a curse, fueling a creative outpouring that carried Matthew to global fame, but also driving him to alcoholism, and (3) how true forgiveness is not a one-and-done conversation, but a lifelong, daily practice.

Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry.

All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

My interview with Caroline Kepnes, creator of the You series, on her latest Joe Goldberg book, You First.

We discussed (1) how she created a voice that's so electric and hypnotic, (2) what Joe Goldberg understands about people that allows him to manipulate them so well, and (3) the one thing that makes a character someone you root for, no matter how despicable they may be.

Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry.

All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

My talk with my good friend Kimberly Hensle Lowrance on her debut novel What Remains Of You.

We covered: (1) the architecture of planting a "phat hook" in the first few pages to snag a reader good; (2) why she didn't give up on the nine-year road to getting her first book released; and (3) what happens when an ardent and outspoken supporter of indie bookstores gets her debut novel published by Amazon.

Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry.

All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

My interview with Dane Bahr on his prohibition era thriller, one part David Mamet, one part Cormac McCarthy, The Dead Ringer.

We discussed: (1) being a literary guy among diesel mechanics; (2) how he's activated to the highest expression by the darkest underbellies and hardest truths; and (3) being a typewriter guy in the age of the Interwebs.

Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry.

All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

My one-on-one with Courtney Maum, re her latest novel Alan Opts Out.

We covered: (1) The longing for the better aspects of the pandemic, when the whole world, for one brief moment, opted out, (2) her lifelong struggles with plot, and (3) the most important rule for a writer: don't be ruled by envy.

Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry.

All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

My interview with ESPN/The Ringer writer Jordan Ritter Conn about his new work of narrative non-fiction, American Men.

We covered: (1) How men cope with the gap between who they truly are and their ideal of masculinity, (2) what the manosphere tells men they need, versus what they *actually* need to lead fulfilling lives, and (3) how the most important thing men need to realize is that they can't do it alone.

Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry.

All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

My talk with a true American Rambler, Isaac Fitzgerald, whose latest is about walking in the footsteps of folklore icon Johnny Appleseed.

We chatted re: (1) the tradition of literary quests in search of the spirit of America, (2) how the *real* America ain't what's on your screens, and (3) why the book publishing industry is not in the danger people say—books still make lots of money and *no one* wants their great literature written by AI.

Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry.

All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.