The Story Blender

C.J. Box, the #1 New York Times bestselling author, joins me this week to talk about his iconic character, Joe Pickett, and his latest novel, THE CROSSROADS. Learn why he’s named “Joe,” what makes him so appealing, and how he has grown over the years. C.J. shares his thoughts about believability, authenticity, the importance of the West in his stories, and his personal advice to all aspiring authors. Check it out!

With the Olympics here this month, there’s no better time to check out a chilling, ice skating thriller. This week, bestselling author Wendy Walker, author of the critically acclaimed new novel BLADE, joins me to talk about her approach, how details matter, adding authenticity to stories, and what is more important—plotting or receptivity. As a former competitive ice skater, she tells a gripping story you won’t soon forget.

This week I caught up with comedian Karen Morgan to talk about humor, comedy, and how to be funny. Listen in for tips and advice on why you should never try to be funny and why only you can do comedy like you can do. Give it a listen and don’t forget to check out her latest special on Dry Bar Comedy!

Matthew Quirk—New York Times bestselling author of The Night Agent, Hour of the Assassin, and Inside Threat—joins the show. The Night Agent hit #1 in 77 countries and returns to Netflix for Season 3 in February.

We talk his latest novel The Method, writing believable thrillers, avoiding over-plotting, and how characters grow from page to screen. A must-listen for fans of spy fiction and intrigue.

This week, acclaimed storyteller Tony Marr returns to talk about techniques to tell personal stories. We discuss the three key questions to ask yourself about any personal story you wish to share, how to end your stories, how to be vulnerable without oversharing, and how to retain the trust of your listeners as you tell your stories. If you have a personal story to share, this is the episode for you.

Science fiction author John R. Carlos joins me to talk about world building and how emergent trends in technology might affect our lives in the future. We touch on context and trajectory—both in culture and in storytelling—and how stories can equip us with the courage to face oppression in whatever form it might come. We also talk about his debut novel Cryonic Dreams: Awakening. Check it out!

This week, bestselling author Mia Sheridan joins me to talk about how monsters can be made, whether it’s important to include the background on a villain in your story, how much believability stories need, longing for justice to occur in the stories that we read, and what’s more important—a story’s beginning or the ending? We also chat about her latest romantic thriller, The Fix. 

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Melinda Leigh, the bestselling author of 40 novels, talks about how her background in the martial arts informs how she writes fight scenes (and why you need vaguely specific details to make them believable). We also talk plot twists, why it’s so much fun to write villains, working through revisions, voice, and honest writing. Check it out!

This week on The Story Blender I talk with legendary action thriller writer David Morrell. As the author of First Blood, he is known as the father of the modern action thriller. In this wide-ranging conversation, he shares his inspiration, words of advice for aspiring authors, and hard-won insights into the writing process that you just won’t want to miss. Check it out.

Join me as I chat with acclaimed comedian John Branyan. We talk about secrets to comedy, how to gain confidence, how to tap into the truths of life and your own experiences to find humorous stories to tell. He also explains the history behind his famous Shakespearean “Three Little Pigs” rendition and shares who he thinks are the three comedians you definitely need to check out today. Give it a listen and enjoy.

This week I sit down with former CIA officer, Traci Hunter Abramson to talk about writing political and spy thrillers. We cover what spies are (and what they are not), what to include in your novels and what to leave out, advice she would give to aspiring authors, and the story behind her latest novel, VICTIM #8. Check it out!

• My guest this week is an author, editor, and publishing professional who has written more than 50 books and coached hundreds of authors on how to put together book proposals. Terry Whalin and I talk about the importance of details, gripping openings, showing instead of telling, looking at the bigger picture, giving readers a reason to flip the page, and The 11th Myth. Check it out!

Don’t miss this week’s conversation with novelist Yannick Murphy. We examine whether or not there is such a thing as talent, how a story is like a mirror, and how to write in a way that makes the reader feel like you are their best friend. Learn to observe what has gone unnoticed, bring a sense of presence to the page, and invite in the turbulence. Give it a listen!