With bestselling author and A Mighty Blaze co-founder Caroline Leavitt. We discussed her 13th novel, Days of Wonder, then went deep on a subject we're both obsessed with: story structure.

We covered (1) the importance of presenting your book's main question in the first chapter, (2) the pros of workshopping your synopsis before writing, and (3) how Caroline says learning to structure "saved my 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.

With former FBI Director James Comey discussing his second novel, Westport.

We chatted re: (1) the truth/falsehood behind popular mystery genre tropes, (2) the importance of a reliable bad cop to any investigation, and (3) his prognosis on the Trump Trials.

Listen to Mark's first conversation with James Comey.

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.

With 5-Under-35 and Orange-Prize-winner Téa Obreht, discussing her third novel, The Morningside.

We chatted re: (1) the necessity of an urgent emotional connection to your work; (2) what can/can't be taught about writing; and (3) today's fraught political climate for artists.

Order Mark Cecil'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.

My convo with debut bestseller Doug Westerbeke, author of A Short Walk Through A Wide World, about which The New York Times says, "Imagine The Life of Pi, The Alchemist, and The Midnight Library rolled into one fantastical fable."

We covered (1) struggling to nail the ending, (2) writing the adult fairy tale, and (3) why sometimes "the best way to survive things is to not understand them."

Order Mark Cecil'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.

Who could possibly step into Mark Cecil's host shoes on The Thoughtful Bro on his pub day without skipping a beat and fire super intelligent and fun questions at him? A Mighty Blaze co-founder and best-selling author Jenna Blum, of course!

They discuss Mark's debut Bunyan and Henry; Or the Beautiful Destiny, now available wherever books are sold. Make sure you check out his book tour schedule and learn more about the novel.

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

With Boston literary citizen par excellence Hank Phillippi Ryan, discussing her latest suspense novel One Wrong Word.

Hank has won scores of awards as a TV journalist and novelist (including 37 Emmys), and I dug into her storytelling habits, methods and style, unpacking the mind of this master of economical prose, twisty plots and upbeat endings.

Order Mark Cecil'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.

With one of the foremost Native American artists working today in any field, Tommy Orange, talking about his second novel, Wandering Stars.

We discussed the struggle of America to both remember and forget its past; his generative friendship with fellow celebrated novelist Kaveh Akbar; and whether the time has come when white writers of literary fiction will be expected to talk about whiteness.

Pre-order Mark Cecil's upcoming 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.

With the inimitable, incorrigible, ingenious Steve Almond, discussing his new craft book, Truth Is The Arrow, Mercy Is The Bow: A DIY Manual For The Construction Of Stories.

We covered: obsession as the engine for literature; the aims and importance of opening paragraphs; and how one of the ultimate goals of literature is a magnification the inner life, so we might all better understand and forgive one another.

Pre-order Mark Cecil's upcoming 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.

With ultra-fresh debut author Jonathan Escoffery, discussing his celebrated linked collection of stories about Jamaican immigrants, If I Survive You.

Topics included: (1) the impossibility of answering the loaded race question "What are you?" (2) the underserved market of father/son literature, and (3) the rare/extremely necessary topic of men's fashion on Zoom.

Pre-order Mark Cecil's upcoming 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.

With literary podcaster and author Brad Listi, discussing his first novel in 16 years, Be Brief And Tell Them Everything, a work of autofiction exploring the despair, terror, and glory which is the creative life.

We covered: brevity as an aesthetic, writing like there's no tomorrow, and how he builds literary community through his beloved podcast Otherppl.

Pre-order Mark Cecil's upcoming 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.