Episodes
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This Christmas and holiday season I sat down with storyteller, performer, and conference speaker Keith Ferrin. He has presented and performed entire books of the Bible, created biblical storytelling programs for Christmas, and spoken at events worldwide. We talk about his journey toward becoming a storyteller, his three words of advice on how to enhance, improve and avoid different aspects of your presentation, and keys to great presentations no matter who your audience is. Give it a listen!
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This week I speak with New York Times bestselling author Travis Thrasher. Heâs a prolific author who has written an astonishing 100 books including memoirs and fiction. His latest collaboration is That Deserves a Wow by sports broadcaster Chris Myers. We discuss writing stories from your life and the types of moments to include, what lies at the heart of all great stories (regardless of the genre), and how to apply fiction writing techniques to nonfiction. Check it out!
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Missing episodes?
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This week I chat with acclaimed author and radio personality, Chris Fabry. His 80+ novels have won numerous awards and sold to readers all over the world. We talk about his writing process, advice for storytellers at any stage in their journey, why itâs vital to get your stories out there, the importance of family storytelling, and hunting stories that might or might not be true. (Donât worry, no real animals were harmed in the making of this podcast!) Give it a listen!
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Acclaimed author and screenwriter Adam Hamdy joins me this week to talk about story, storytelling, and his latest thriller, DEADBEAT. We explore finding and losing your storytelling voice, giving your characters agency, how your characterâs reaction is really a means of revelation, and whether or not you can have a character who is both the hero and a villain at the same time. Join us for a fascinating and interesting interview. Check it out!
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This week I caught up with prolific author Josh Corin. He has written six Deadpool graphic novels for Marvel aComics and has a new twisty novel out called ASSUME NOTHING. We talk about why high stakes matter in a story, transgressions that characters make, writing about people you donât understand, irony leading to resonance, and what it means to throw rocks at your protagonist. Itâs a great conversation. Check it out!
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This week, I caught up with long-time editor and author Tiffany Yates Martin. We discussed what it truly means to be successful as an authorâwho defines success and where your sense of fulfillment should come from. We delved into the ups and downs, the highlights, and the heartaches of writing, as well as her latest book, The Intuitive Author: How to Grow & Sustain A Happier Writing Career. Donât miss this inspiring conversation, only on The Story Blender!
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This week I chat with Jonathan Rogers, acclaimed author and writing instructor, who has worked for decades helping authors improve their craft. Based in Nashville, he hosts a weekly podcast on the craft of writing. We talk about writing as a way of loving your readers, paying attention, writing on the surface, books that every author should read, and more. Bonus thought: Learn why writing doesnât happen between your ears. Check it out!
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This week I catch up with award-winning storyteller and folklore expert Linda Poland. She has traveled the world telling stories and was the Resident Storyteller for the town of Jonesborough, Tennessee, the unofficial capital of storytelling in the United States. Listen to her folksy wisdom on storytelling, how a report card inspired her 40 years later, and the one sentence that made all the difference to her as a storyteller.
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Exciting news! Bestselling author J.T. Ellison is joining Steven James on The Story Blender podcast! đïžâš Dive deep into the craft of storytelling as they discuss the art of writing thrillers, character development, and the twists that keep readers on the edge of their seats. Don't miss this chance to hear from one of the masters of suspense!
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This weekâs guest, Iain S. Thomas, is an international bestselling author, artist and technologist whose work focuses on the intersection of technology, culture and spirituality. His words appear everywhere, from fridge magnets to monuments and as tattoos on his millions of readers. Heâs words have been quoted by everyone from Steven Spielberg and Harry Styles to Kim Kardashian and Arianna Huffington. He has dozens of local and international awards for his creativity, including the Columbian Universityâs Breakthroughs In Storytelling Award. Listen in as we chat about poetry, life, and everything in between. Check it out!
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ANIKA PAVEL was born in Czechoslovakia. What was intended as a one-year stay in England turned her into a refugee when the Soviet Union invaded her homeland. She received a crash course in life that took her from sleeping in a telephone booth at the Victoria railway station in London to waitressing, to the lights of the fashion runway, and on to magazine covers, even a James Bond appearance. When the lights had dimmed, she returned to her first love, writing. Her work has been published in print, online and nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She shares insights on her stories and encouragement for anyone who has a story of their own to tell. Check it out!
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This week we celebrate the art of oral storytelling with one of the worldâs leading voices on folk tales, the celebrated Irish storyteller, Liz Weir. She has told her stories to people of all ages on five continents. She has performed in pubs and prisons and hospital rooms. She worked on stages in the mighty Vanderbilt Hall of New Yorkâs Grand Central Station and in London's Royal Albert Hall. Listen as she shares her passion for using stories to bring healing, and to build bridges. Liz shares one of the powerful stories that got her through the pandemicâa message of hope for anyone in need of encouragement. Check it out!
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Michelle Cox has always been obsessed with stories of the past and has spent a lifetime collecting them. She is the award-winning author of historical fiction, including the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series, The Fallen Womanâs Daughter, and The Merriweather Novels. Cox also pens the wildly popular, âNovel Notes of Local Lore,â a weekly blog chronicling the lives of Chicagoâs forgotten residents.
She lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago with her husband, an assortment of children who continually leave and then come back, and one naughty Goldendoodle. Unbeknownst to most, she hoards board games she doesnât have time to play and is, not surprisingly, in love with both Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart. Likewise, she is happily addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade.
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This weekâs guest, Jenny Milchman, is an acclaimed crime and thriller novelist who is a Mary Higgins Clark award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of five novels. We chat about crafting stories will lots of twists and surprises, dealing with self-doubt, the Christmas-morning joy feeling of first drafts and the reality check of revisions, the power of speaking up, and her newest book THE USUAL SILENCE. Check it out and subscribe!
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This week on the story blender I catch up with John Raab, publisher, podcaster, and suspense expert. We talk about some of our favorite types of stories, the difference between suspense and other genres, what makes a thriller really work, and how to pitch your idea to a publisher or editor. Youâll love Johnâs practical advice, his humor and his down-to-earth personality. Check it out and subscribe so you never miss and episode!
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This week I catch up with Andrew Welsh-Huggins, an acclaimed author of numerous private eye and thriller novels. He is the Shamus, Derringer, and International Thriller Writers award-nominated author of many books and short stories. Andrew has two releases coming up just around the corner and we chat about those, about what makes a good short story, plot twists and pivots, what a ânoirâ story is (and isnât). Check it out and subscribe to catch next weekâs episode as well!
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This week I catch up with award-winning crime writer John Copenhaver who pens historical mysteries that celebrate minorities and those whose stories arenât often told. We explore what a story needs at the very start, whether or not to plan out your crime novel before writing it, and the drawbacks of workshopping stories. We also talk about his latest novel, HALL OF MIRRORS. Check it out and subscribe!
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If youâve ever read an action or military thriller youâre probably familiar with the name âTom Clancy.â And, while he unfortunately passed away in 2013, other gifted authors are still carrying on his legacy and Iâm thrilled today to have one of them joining on The Story Blender to talk about his writing process and his latest book TOM CLANCY: SHADOW STATE.
M.P. Woodward, a former U.S. Naval intelligence officer, shares his thoughts on leaving no danglers, the importance of an ironic ending, writing action-packed thrillers with heart, when to break the rules to improve your story, and how to weave in believability and surprise. Give it a listen and subscribe so you donât miss any upcoming episodes.
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Listen in as I pick the brains of co-authors Isabella Maldonado and Jeffery Deaver on the process of writing a crime thriller that will keep readers turning pages. We discuss how to keep your characters intriguing, inside information on writing, and the importance of getting the facts right. We also talk about outlining, their latest thriller, FATAL INTRUSION, and how many drafts and rewrites Jeffery does for his novels (it will probably surprise you!) Give it a listen!
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This week I chat with Caroline Cleveland about her southern mystery WHEN CICADAS CRY. She talks about the five aspects of Southern Fiction and how she tried to weave them into her story, the power of story to bring people together, and how cultures are both shaped by stories and reflected in the stories we tell. Give it a listen!
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