Uncorking a Story

Uncorking a Story

Listen in to Uncorking a Story, where we pop the cork on hidden narratives and delve deep into the brilliant minds of your favorite authors. Get ready to unlock the magic behind your favorite books, one unforgettable story at a time. Hit that subscribe button and never miss a sip of inspiration!

Episodes

Has Medicine Lost Its Mind? Dr. Robert Smith on the Crisis in Mental Health Care & How to Fix It

February 21, 2026 • 48 mins
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ "Medicine knows a patient’s disease, but it does not know the patient — and that is where the real crisis lies." — Dr. Robert Smith In this powerful episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike sits down with Dr. Robert Smith, a nationally recognized pioneer in evidence‑based mental health care and physician‑patient communicat...
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It’s Never Too Late, Joëlle Lydon on Healing, Creativity, and Redefining Love

February 17, 2026 • 44 mins
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ “It’s never too late — never too late to heal, to learn, to evolve, or to create a relationship built on something truer than what you grew up with.” — Joelle Lydon In this powerful and deeply human conversation, author and relationship coach Joëlle Lydon uncorks the journey that led to her book Unbreakable Us. Raised i...
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Collaboration Is the New Competition: Priscilla McKinney on Creativity, Resilience, & Reinventing Work

February 9, 2026 • 39 mins
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ “There’s always another way of looking at things. Collaborators win bigger—in business, families, communities, everywhere.” In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike sits down with Priscilla McKinney—CEO and “Mama Bird” of Little Bird Marketing, author of Collaboration Is the New Competition, keynote speaker, podca...
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Why Passion Projects Save Lives, with Jason Reid

February 3, 2026 • 35 mins
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ "When your world feels like it’s falling apart, that’s when your story is beginning." – Jason Reid In this episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with Jason Reid—a successful entrepreneur, executive coach, and founder of TellMyStory.org. Jason’s life changed forever in 2018 when he lost his 14-year-old son to suic...
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Building Wealth with Purpose & Passion, with Karen Rands

January 27, 2026 • 40 mins
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ “People can see themselves in Jane’s journey — that everyday person who realizes they can build wealth by investing in entrepreneurs.” In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike welcomes back Karen Rands, leader of the Compassionate Capitalist Movement and author of Inside Secrets to Crowdfund Investing. Karen share...
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Turning Pain Into Peace: Carol Kennedy on Faith, Loss, and Her Calling to Write Thank God for God

January 20, 2026 • 25 mins
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ In this moving and deeply personal episode of Uncorking a Story, Michael welcomes debut memoirist Carol Kennedy, who shares the extraordinary journey behind her book Thank God for God. Carol never set out to become a writer—yet an unexpected spiritual experience compelled her to begin documenting her life, her faith, and...
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Creativity, Vulnerability, and Flow: A Conversation with Rabbi Alon Ferency

January 13, 2026 • 52 mins
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ “I love having written more than I love writing. The process is work, but the result is joy.” — Rabbi Alon Ferency In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike sits down with Rabbi Alon Ferency to explore the intersection of spirituality and creativity. From the challenges of writing to the vulnerability inherent in a...
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Turning Inspiration into a Trilogy, with Laura Buchwald

January 6, 2026 • 29 mins
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ "The Book of Reservations is about a woman navigating a dubious gift in a world that doesn’t always believe in it." — Laura Buchwald Author Laura Buchwald returns to discuss her latest novel, The Book of Reservations, the second installment in her Ghost Table trilogy. Laura shares how a haunted Manhattan restaurant ...
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Helping Writers Find Their Voice: Jen Braaksma on Memoir and Meaning

December 30, 2025 • 38 mins
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ "Writing is work. It’s challenging, it’s hard—but it’s a skill, and it takes time. If you have patience with yourself, you’ll get there." — Jen Braaksma In this episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with Jen Braaksma—former journalist, high school English teacher, and now full-time book coach—to talk about her journe...
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Atomic Secrets and Fictional Spies: Leslie Schover on Turning Family History into a Novel

December 23, 2025 • 30 mins
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ "I took my parents’ stories from the Manhattan Project and wove them into a fictional spy subplot—because I’ll never know the real truth." — Leslie Schover What happens when a clinical psychologist with decades of experience decides to write her first novel in her seventies? In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Leslie ...
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When the Story Chooses You: Mike Carlon Uncorks His Own Journey

December 16, 2025 • 70 mins
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ “I didn’t write The Waiting Room — it came through me. In the middle of grief, in the middle of the night, the story wouldn’t let me rest until I let it out.” In this special episode, the tables turn: Amazon Bestseller and Uncorking a Story host Mike Carlon becomes the guest. Interviewed by author Janet Ettele in fr...
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Can Fiction Change Healthcare? Robin Cook on Thrillers, Science, and Power

December 9, 2025 • 45 mins
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ "I thought by using entertainment, I could get people to understand medical issues and change health policy. It didn’t work out that way—but people are fascinated by medicine." — Robin Cook In this episode of Uncorking a Story, bestselling author and physician Robin Cook joins us to discuss his incredible career, th...
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From Xbox to Espionage: Robbie Bach on Writing Thrillers and The Blockchain Syndicate

December 2, 2025 • 38 mins
"Technology isn’t good or bad—it just is. How we choose to use it defines everything." — Robbie Bach Robbie Bach, the visionary behind Xbox and now a bestselling author, joins Mike Carlon on Uncorking a Story to share his journey from tech executive to thriller writer. In this episode, Robbie dives into his creative process, the inspiration behind his latest novel The Blockchain Syndicate, and how themes of technology, society, ...
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History, Poetry, and the Art of Biography, with Lewis Bowling

November 28, 2025 • 38 mins
"I love to read, I devour books—wouldn't it be nice if I wrote something that somebody else would love to read?" — Lewis Bowling In this episode of Uncorking a Story, host Mike Carlon sits down with Lewis Bowling—author of 14 books, columnist, and educator at Duke University and North Carolina Central University. Lewis shares how a childhood love of reading sparked a lifelong passion for writing, why he focuses on nonfiction and h...
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What are you Really Hungry For? With Jane McGuinness

November 25, 2025 • 36 mins
"We eat from a thousand different hungers—and most of them aren’t about food." — Jane McGuinness In this episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with Jane McGuinness—registered clinical counselor, mother of three, and author of the memoir Always Hungry: How I Lost the Weight and Found Myself. Jane opens up about her journey from emotional eating and divorce to rediscovering herself through writing, hiking, and radical acceptanc...
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Ghosts, Grit, and Grandogs, with Karen White

November 20, 2025 • 27 mins
“The Lady on Esplanade is about ghosts, grief, and flipping murder houses.” In her third appearance on Uncorking a Story, bestselling author Karen White uncorks the story behind her 37th novel, The Lady on Esplanade. From her unexpected start in writing—sparked by Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series—to her reflections on the evolving publishing landscape, Karen shares insights into her creative process, her beloved characters, and t...
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Trauma, Healing, and Finding your Voice, with Wendy Correa

November 18, 2025 • 37 mins
“I realized my family’s secrets had written my biography—and my biology. I wanted to take back the pen.” — Wendy Correa In this deeply moving episode of Uncorking a Story, host Mike Carlon sits down with author, yogi, and former music industry insider Wendy Correa to discuss her debut memoir, My Pretty Baby. Wendy shares her journey through intergenerational trauma, addiction, and healing—offering listeners a raw and inspiring loo...
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She Journeys: Sarah May on Healing, Forgiveness, and Life in a Van

November 13, 2025 • 34 mins
"What felt like the darkest night became the beginning of something brand new." — Sarah May In this inspiring episode of Uncorking a Story, host Mike Carlon speaks with yoga instructor, Reiki healer, and debut memoirist Sarah May about her transformative journey through heartbreak, healing, and radical reinvention. From living in a van with her husband to exploring plant medicine and energy work, Sarah shares how writing her mem...
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Lightkeeper: Stacy Bass on Grief, Photography, and the Power of Memoir

November 11, 2025 • 38 mins
"Grief doesn’t end—it lives alongside joy, love, and purpose. You can carry both." — Stacy Bass In this deeply moving episode of Unquarking Your Story, host Mike Carlon sits down with author and photographer Stacy Bass to explore her memoir Lightkeeper, a poignant reflection on love, loss, and legacy. Stacy shares how personal tragedy led her to write, how photography became a portal to memory, and why keeping the light alive—thro...
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Leading Through Freefall: Brianna Sylver on Innovation, Emotion, and Surrender

November 6, 2025 • 41 mins
“Innovation isn’t just about process—it’s about emotion. If you’re not feeling resistance, you’re probably not stretching far enough.” — Brianna Sylver In this episode of Uncorking a Story, host Michael Carlon sits down with nationally recognized innovation strategist Brianna Sylver, founder of Sylver Consulting and author of Leading Through Freefall. Brianna shares the deeply personal and spiritual journey behind her book, whic...
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