Today isn’t about finance or KPIs—it’s about finishing the story that’s been living in you for a decade. Author Brandon Rogers joins Brandon to unpack the making of his debut novel The Safe Place: the daughter who said “Dad, finish your book,” the 48-hour writing sprint that poured out 22,000 words, and the whirlwind that led to four publishers and a multi-book deal. We dig into vulnerability, trauma, redemption, and what it takes to create when life gets loud.
In this episode you’ll hear:
- The catalyst: a 12-year-old’s nudge and the mantra “If not now, when?” that flipped decades of delay into daily momentum.
- Process & pace: 4–6 a.m. quiet hours, voice notes → pages, and how a weekend sprint became a finished manuscript—then a series.
- Structure that grips: two timelines—present-tense interludes and childhood memory—that braid together like a film edit.
- Vulnerability on the page: writing the hard scenes (including a house fire at age six) and choosing catharsis over perfection.
- Dreaming vs. doing: saying no to make creative space; why “get busy living or get busy dying” became the daily filter.
- From pages to picture: the movie vision, casting daydreams (hello, Jake Gyllenhaal), and an audiobook idea with an uncut, director’s-notes version.
- What’s next: Book 1 slated for January release; Book 2 already in draft and queued up for next fall.
Whether you’re an aspiring author or a leader craving creative oxygen, this conversation is your permission slip to make the thing that won’t leave you alone.
📣 Episode Spotlight — The Safe Place by Brandon Rogers
Be first to read the debut novel that started with a weekend writing blitz and became a multi-book deal. The Safe Place lands in January (exact date TBA), with Book 2 following next fall. Watch for pre-orders, cover art reveals, and the audiobook—possibly with a behind-the-scenes “uncut” edition. (Links in the show notes.)
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