The Writers Bleck Podcast

In this episode, Claribel Ortega returns to the Writer’s Bleck Podcast! Witchlings: The Sea Witch Prophecy, the final book in her beloved Witchlings series, and we're talking all about it. We'll discuss Claribel's challenges and emotions behind ending a five-book series, bringing longtime character arcs to their conclusion, and watching her young readers grow alongside the books. Plus, we talk about The Girl and the Robot, her upcoming graphic novel 30 Ways to Kill Your Avatar, and so much more.

Support us directly at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/WritersBleckPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvhNs-91-p_QQqJ0DCCdg

More From Greg: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqLP7Pea2xsi_SD9LW-D3Pg⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Greg sits down with author journalist, editor, and fact finder extraordinaire Brian Boone (The Onion, Funny or Die) to talk about the latest project from his team, the 39th edition of Uncle John's All Knowing Bathroom Reader. They'll discuss what it takes to put together Uncle John’s All Knowing Bathroom Reader, how research has become more involved in a digital age, Brian's favorite facts from this latest edition, and Brian's time on Jeopardy!

Support us directly at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/WritersBleckPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvhNs-91-p_QQqJ0DCCdg

More From Greg: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqLP7Pea2xsi_SD9LW-D3Pg⁠⁠⁠

This week, Greg sits down with bestselling author Lisa Gardner to discuss her latest novel, You’ll Be Sorry. They’ll discuss why Gardner decided to step away from her established series and characters in favor of something brand new, what goes into making a book’s setting feel just as real as its cast, and her thoughts on staying creatively inspired after 35 years as a professional novelist, the inspiration behind her "Kill A Friend, Maim A Buddy Sweepstakes," and so much more.

Support us directly at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/WritersBleckPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvhNs-91-p_QQqJ0DCCdg

More From Greg: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqLP7Pea2xsi_SD9LW-D3Pg⁠⁠⁠

This week, host Greg Nyikos is sitting down with author, literacy advocate, and did we forget to mention Super Bowl champion Malcolm Mitchell to talk about his latest picture book, My Super Duper Me. They'll discuss Malcom's difficult journey to discover a love of reading, how he draws inspiration from his own story to craft his characters, the footprint he wants to leave behind for his audience, and so much more.

00:00 – Intro
02:26 – Interview with Malcolm Mitchell

Support us directly at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/WritersBleckPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvhNs-91-p_QQqJ0DCCdgMore From Greg: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqLP7Pea2xsi_SD9LW-D3Pg⁠⁠⁠

This week, Greg sits down with author Tiffany Jackson to discuss her latest book, the middle-grade murder mystery; Ghost in the Night. They’ll also talk about her literary influences, what it’s like to follow up an award-winning work with something completely new, what she learned during her research trip to Savannah, Georgia, for Ghost in the Night, and so much more.

Support us directly at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/WritersBleckPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvhNs-91-p_QQqJ0DCCdgMore From Greg: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqLP7Pea2xsi_SD9LW-D3Pg⁠⁠⁠

Okay, so we're technically on break, but I can't pass up a fun conversation. In this episode, we sat down with Gabrielle Wanek to chat about the latest entry in her urban fantasy epic, Songs of Ash & Dawn, Book 2. We'll dive into Gabrielle's long-term vision for a planned ten-book series, how she pieces together complex characters like a jigsaw puzzle, the importance of continuity in sprawling fantasy worlds, and so much more.

Find the book: https://www.songsofashanddawn.com/

Support us directly at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/WritersBleckPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvhNs-91-p_QQqJ0DCCdg

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More From Greg: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqLP7Pea2xsi_SD9LW-D3Pg⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, it's the season finale gang, and our friend Kassidy Vangundy is returning to the podcast to talk about her upcoming horror anthology release, Cursed Images: Channel Surfing. They'll discuss what went into the latest entry in the Cursed Images series, Kassidy's recent YouTube milestone, the state of her mental health in 2026, and some exciting breaking news about an upcoming book tour.

Plus, Greg takes a moment to reflect on an incredible second season, the writers who inspired him along the way, and what's next for both the podcast and his own writing journey.

Support us directly at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/WritersBleckPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvhNs-91-p_QQqJ0DCCdg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More From Greg: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqLP7Pea2xsi_SD9LW-D3Pg⁠⁠

This week, Greg sits down with singer-songwriter Ken Bascue, to discuss Ken's lifelong journey through music, performance, and songwriting. They'll talk about how personal tragedy, faith, and perseverance shaped his creative voice, why authenticity matters more than perfection, and what inspired songs like Right to Love and No Place Left. From finding the courage to pursue his dreams later in life to the power of music to heal, connect, and tell deeply personal stories, this is a conversation about resilience, creativity, and never giving up on the life you're meant to live.

Best-selling author and poet Aida Salazar joins Greg to discuss her new novel-in-verse, Stream. They'll explore how poetry became Aida's storytelling superpower, the inspiration behind writing stories in verse, the growing impact of screen addiction and social media on young people, and the importance of reconnecting with nature, culture, and authentic identity. Plus, Aida shares the personal experiences that shaped Stream, her approach to writing for middle-grade readers, and the powerful message she hopes readers take away from the book.

Support us directly at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/WritersBleckPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvhNs-91-p_QQqJ0DCCdg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More From Greg: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqLP7Pea2xsi_SD9LW-D3Pg⁠⁠

This week on The Writer's Bleck Podcast, Greg sits down with author, television producer, and co-founder of Amy Poehler's Smart Girls, Meredith Walker, to discuss her new book, Be Yourself and Other Bad Advice: A Teen Girl's Guide to Unlearning the Rules. She'll share lessons from her career at Nick News and Saturday Night Live, explore the challenges facing teen girls in today's online world, and offer practical advice on confidence, identity, and navigating adolescence with authenticity.

Support us directly at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/WritersBleckPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvhNs-91-p_QQqJ0DCCdg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More From Greg: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqLP7Pea2xsi_SD9LW-D3Pg⁠⁠