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.

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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.

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In this episode, Greg sits down with the best-selling author Veronica Roth to discuss her new dystopian fantasy, Seek the Traitor’s Son, as well as her upcoming turn to the Divergent series in The Sixth Faction. They'll discuss the different forms Seek the Traitor's Son took across its six years of development, blending sci-fi and fantasy, the pressure and negativity that came with the success of Divergent, and how she rediscovered creative freedom after years of trying to “prove herself” as a writer.

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Greg sits down with Keala Kendall to talk about her new Hawaiian gothic thriller, That Which Feeds Us, a haunting story about family, folklore, colonialism, and the dark side of paradise.

She'll share how homesickness and Hawaiian history shaped the novel, why gothic horror was the perfect genre for the story, and how Keala balances atmospheric horror with deeply personal themes. We also dive into her work writing for Disney’s Twisted Tales imprint, including How Far I'll Go and Nobody Gets Left Behind, adapting established characters, and bringing authentic cultural perspectives into major IPs.

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In this episode, Greg interviews bestselling author, professor, activist, and cultural critic Brittney Cooper about her debut children’s book, Mama Says I'm Fine. Brittney discusses the emotional meaning behind the phrase “I’m fine,” the influence of her childhood and late mother on the story, themes of Black motherhood, empowerment, vulnerability, mental health, and emotional resilience, and so much more.

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This week on the podcast, Greg sits down with actress and first-time author Sarah Amini to discuss her debut graphic novel, Mixed Feelings. Inspired by her own childhood, the book explores the chaos of growing up, navigating middle school, surviving puberty, and trying to figure out where you belong.

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This week on the podcast, Greg sits down with middle-grade author Alyson Gerber to discuss her acclaimed series The Liar Society, a story of suspense and mystery, set at a New England boarding school where the lines between right and wrong blur and new friendships and alliances are put to the test. They'll also discuss how Alyson used her early novels as a form of self-therapy, helping navigate negative self-talk and much more.

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This week on the podcast, Greg sits down with middle-grade author Alyson Gerber to discuss her acclaimed series The Liar Society, a story of suspense and mystery, set at a New England boarding school where the lines between right and wrong blur and new friendships and alliances are put to the test. Alison also opens up about how her early novels served as a form of self-therapy, helping her navigate negative self-talk and 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 poet Victoria Lauren to talk about her poetry collections, Crescendo of Chaos and Promises of Poison, how she used poetry to overcome physical adversity, her upcoming romance novel, 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