I am a self-published author and a podcast host. My website is MarkCombsAuthor.com. You can find info on my podcasts and books there. You can also find me on FB and Twitter.
Today’s guest grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. She received her Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Butler University, and under intense pressure, she will confess to having a lifetime love of fairy tales. She also loves to travel… and can lay claim to having set foot on all 7 continents… which sounds like a secondary adventure that we’ll just have to explore. Currently, she works as the Senior Copywriter at John Wiley & Sons, Publishing Company. Prior to her current role, she also served in the company’s Editorial and Publicity positions. In 2019 she published a Young Adult adventure, featuring an arrogant warrior princess, who has to wrestle with some very difficult decisions and the fallout from choices made. In 2020, she published Book #1 in a series built from the legendary tales of King Midas and the previously untold tales of his young daughter. Today, we’re going to step into the pages of that series and listen to the heartbeat, with it the talented authored who gave it life. Please welcome our tour guide for today’s adventure, Annie Sullivan…
He’s the only International bestselling author to have won the Shamus, Nero, and Lefty Awards, three of American Crime Fiction’s most prestigious prizes. His novels have been translated into a dozen languages and have won critical acclaim across the globe, including stars from every major pre-publication review outlet. He’s a graduate of Dartmouth and former journalist with The Washington Post and The (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger. He lives in Virginia with his wife and two children, but he’s actually Closer Than You Know… Please welcome our tour guide for today’s adventure… Brad Parks.
Haunted by his parents’ death and his own career failures, Dr. Brian Scott has begun to settle for the life he’s been given. Until he’s “recruited.” Kidnapped by military insiders known only as “The Group,” Brian joins a team of world-class scholars on a confidential initiative. Their mission? To prepare mankind for a new reality… Alien Disclosure. As the team is briefed on the government’s involvement with extraterrestrials, strange things begin to happen. Disappearances. Visitations. Murder. Something isn’t right. Peeling away layer after layer of deception and counter-deception, Brian moves toward a shocking revelation that will forever alter how mankind sees itself. The book is entitled The Façade and we’re joined today by its author, Dr. Michael S. Heiser…
She's a life-long book lover who left the world of corporate finance to pursue her passion for writing. After co-authoring the non-fiction book, Haunted Highway, The Spirits of Route 66, she realized her true love was fiction... historical mysteries in particular. She also decided that winters in Arizona were much more enjoyable than winters in Michigan. Taking a cue from the old Paul McCartney song... Dianne and her husband, just follow the sun. Her debut novel, which was the first book in the series we’ll be talking about today, was titled: A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder. It won the Agatha Award for Best Debut and a Lefty Award for Best First Novel. It was also nominated for a Mary Higgins-Clark Award. Heat up a spot of tea boys and girls, because today’s adventure takes us to London, where we’ll explore the pages of The Countess of Harleigh, Cozy Mystery Series with author Dianne Freeman...
He’s the author of more than a dozen international bestsellers, who’s been hailed by Lee Child as “one of the best thriller writers working today.” He lives in Boston, teaches writing at Harvard, and fabricates novels that readers can’t put down. His debut novel, DEVIANT WAYS immediately propelled him into the upper echelon of noteworthy thriller authors. He also writes the acclaimed series, featuring Crime Scene Investigator, Darby McCormick, and has a number of standalone page-turners that we’ll most certainly highlight at some point along the way. Today’s adventure tour guide is a master storyteller, who’s going to walk us into the pages of his, highly-anticipated, newly-released thriller… BLOOD WORLD. Please welcome the wildly imaginative, Chris Mooney…
He’s a native of Ontario, Canada, who obtained his Masters of Business Administration from the Ivey Business School. He enjoyed a successful career in corporate technology before transitioning into investing and education. He’s traveled throughout Europe, North America, South America, and the South Pacific for both business and pleasure. He’s passionate about technology, the forces that drive it, and the impact it has on our society. He’s a big fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy, as well as a master of escape room misdirection and trickeration. He’s also been known to crash a Comic Con whenever the opportunity presents. Please welcome a debut author who will keep you up late turning pages… our tour guide for today’s adventure, Drew Murray…
Today’s guest is a New York Times bestselling author who, along with Guillermo del Toro, co-authored the haunting & heartbreaking love story, THE SHAPE OF WATER, which was not only an international bestseller, but also a feature length film that won the Oscar Award in 4 categories, including Best Director and Best Picture. In 2015, our tour guide for today’s adventure also co-authored TROLLHUNTERS with del Toro, which was adapted into an Emmy-winning Netflix series. Also in 2015, today’s guest launched an award-winning 2-book series titled, THE DEATH AND LIFE OF ZEBULON FINCH which was named one of Entertainment Weekly’s Top 10 Books of the Year. Earlier this year he released BENT HEAVENS, built from the story of one man’s alien abduction and eventual disappearance. Today, we’re going to dig into the pages of his latest release, which is a posthumous collaboration with legendary filmmaker George A. Romero… THE LIVING DEAD. Please welcome our guest, the multi-talented, Daniel Kraus…
Today’s guest is a peer-reviewed scholar in the fields of biblical studies and Ancient Near East mythology. He earned his Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible and Semitic Languages from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2004. His studies include the Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations, including Israel and Egypt. He taught biblical studies on the college and seminary level for over 20 years and was the Scholar-in-Residence for Logos Bible Software for 15 years. He is currently the Director of a school of Theology, located in Jacksonville, FL. He is the author of several bestselling books, both in the fiction and non-fiction genres. Today, we’re going to get a quick walk through 2 of his most recent non-fiction works, one detailing what Ancient Near Eastern Literature has to say about Angels and another, detailing what the same volume of work has to say about Demons. Join us as we peel back the curtains and shine a light on what ancient literature has to say about the captivating and mystifying realm of the supernatural with our tour guide for today’s adventure with Dr. Michael S. Heiser…
Today’s guest is a partner in a San Francisco based office of an international law firm and co-chair of its privacy and cyber security division. He’s authored six thrillers to date that draw upon his background as a privacy attorney. His first book, THE INSIDER, was a finalist for the 2011 International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel. THE INSIDER was followed by a trilogy featuring former Department of Justice, cyber-crime prosecutor Chris Bruen. THE ADVERSARY, INTRUSION, and SURVEILLANCE are all highly rated reads that weave through the hacker-happy world of the dark web. In 2019, he launched a new series, featuring Lisa Tanchik, an FBI Special Agent who dons her own cyber-mask, as she goes undercover on the dark web. She made her debut with BLACK NOWHERE. Today, we’re going to peel open the pages of book #2 in the series. Please welcome our tour guide for today’s adventure – Reece Hirsch…
He’s a bestselling author and journalist who has written for Vanity Fair, the New Yorker and Time Magazine. His 1995 novel, Atlantic, which takes place aboard an oceanliner during a transatlantic crossing, following WW2, was nominated for The Booker Prize, which is given each year to the best original novel, published in the U.K. He also authored Blood Knots, a 2010 memoir about childhood innocence, paternal love, and fishing. It was short-listed for the 2010 BBC Samuel Johnson Prize, as well as the William Hill Prize. Today’s guest trained as a dancer at the Rambert School, and co-authored a book with his daughter called Stars, about teenagers at a performing arts school. In 2014, 15, & 16, he published a series of books that have become the basis for the wildly popular BBC television series – Killing Eve. Please welcome our tour guide for today’s adventure: Luke Jennings…
She’s an Agatha Award winning, best-selling author of several Cozy Mystery Series. Prior to her career as a novelist, she wrote screenplays and created the format for the popular TV sitcom Out of this World. She’s also been featured as an actress and her portfolio includes roles from Matlock, Hart to Hart, and Murder, She Wrote. She’s a graduate of Stanford University who loves to cook, read, golf, swim, garden, and has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. Through the creative imagination of author Daryl Wood Gerber, today’s adventure takes us to a place filled with magic and wonder, located in beautiful Carmel, CA. Join us as we dig into the pages of Book #1 of The Fairy Garden, Cozy Mystery Series: A SPRINKLING OF MURDER…
Our Public Display of Imagination Resources For Writers segments are designed to bring helpful insight and inspiration to writers and aspiring writers. We’ve been fortunate to talk with a host of talented and successful authors over the course of the podcast and in some cases, we’ve been able to schedule additional time with them to talk about specific topics connected to the art and the craft of writing. These are the best of the best in a number of fields related to writing and publication. We’re thankful that they were willing to spend some additional time with us. In this segment, we talk with the author of the Detective John Byron series, Bruce Robert Coffin. During his 30+ year career in law enforcement, Bruce has accumulated a wealth of knowledge regarding crime scenes. In this conversation, he walks us through the process of identifying and questioning witnesses that no writer should overlook.
Today’s guest has logged nearly 5,000 hours as a flight engineer for the Air National Guard in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, and elsewhere, including Latin America, the Horn of Africa, and the Far East. Military honors include three Air Medals, three Aerial Achievement Medals, and the Air Force Combat Action Medal. He retired from the military as a Senior Master Sergeant. He holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He studied writing there and at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, among other places. He authored a six book series which follows the story of Air Force pilot Colonel Michael Parson and U.S. Army interpreter Sophia Gold. He is also the author of a non-fiction work titled, The Speed of Heat: An Airlift Wing at War in Iraq and Afghanistan, and contributed to the anthology Operation Homecoming, edited by Andrew Carroll. Please welcome the author of the hot new military thriller release, SILVER WINGS IRON CROSS, Tom Young…
Today’s guest completed her first novel when she was 15. Her work has been used in school textbooks in Denmark, made into a short film, optioned twice for TV and film, inspired an original song, and has won (or been nominated) for numerous awards both in the United States and in the UK. She created her highly popular, no-nonsense heroine after receiving death-threat letters as a photojournalist. That heroine has anchored 13 books thus far, with more on the way. Today, we’re going to dig into the pages of Book #2 in a new trilogy about a Crime Scene Investigator named, Grace McColl, and a Detective Constable named, Nick Weston. The series started with a book, designed to be a standalone novel called, Dancing On The Grave. It’s popularity has led to the book we’ll be exploring today – Bones In The River. Please welcome the author of the bestselling Charlie Fox thriller series, several standalone novels, and a host of short stories for anthologies and magazines, Zoe Sharp…
He’s the author (or co-author) of nearly 40 books and has written both riveting fictional suspense and gripping non-fiction exposé. More than 20 of his books have ascended the New York Times Bestseller list and several have topped the list as #1 Bestsellers. He has traveled around the world, lived in a number of countries, and won awards for his work both in America and abroad. He has explored the jungles of Central America where he worked with a team, beset by torrential rain, quickmud, disease-carrying insects, jaguars, and deadly snakes as they searched for a lost city. He has also spent time in Italy, researching the files of one of Italy’s most notorious serial killers. He recounts that experience during our conversation. We also discuss working with a writing partner, as he does for the Award-Winning series featuring FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast. Last week, I was asked in a writing group if an author could write both fiction and non-fiction. Today, we’re going to talk with someone who has won a long list of accolades for doing exactly that. His work is in print. His work is on the big screen. His work has, and is, being developed into Television Series. World renowned author, Douglas Preston takes us on today’s adventure…
She lives with her husband in Ft. Worth, TX, and she’s obsessed with water… specifically, open water. After completing an advanced scuba class in Dallas, she got the opportunity to dive a shipwreck off the coast of Key Largo, FL, and has been fixated on the mysteries that lurk the heart of the deep ever since. She loves a good mystery, especially if it’s shrouded in shadows and creepy “what-ifs” that keep you up all night. Today, we’re going to dig into the pages of her debut novel, which could very well be the baby that was produced when LOST and Stranger Things shared a drunken weekend in Tahiti… Please welcome our tour guide for today’s adventure, Leslie Lutz…
Our Public Display of Imagination Resources For Writers segments are designed to bring helpful insight and inspiration to writers and aspiring writers. We’ve been fortunate to talk with a host of talented and successful authors over the course of the podcast and in some cases, we’ve been able to schedule additional time with them to talk about specific topics connected to the art and the craft of writing. These are the best of the best in a number of fields related to writing and publication. We’re thankful that they were willing to spend some additional time with us. In this segment, we talk with Sendible Founder and CEO Gavin Hammar about Story Telling on Social Media. What works? What doesn’t? Gavin gives us insight to best practices, while providing the backstory of how Sendible started and developed its remarkably easy-to-use platform for those who need to increase their productivity and effectiveness in the realm of telling their story via Social Media.
Her first novel has over 11 hundred positive reviews on Amazon. Déjà Dead, was the first book in a long running series featuring forensic anthropologist, Dr. Temperance Brennan. Book #1 became an instant New York Times bestseller and won the Ellis Award for Best First Novel in 1997. The books launched a FOX TV series you may have heard of called, BONES. Today’s guest is the producer of that TV Series; it ran for 246 episodes over the course of 12 seasons. As a forensic anthropologist, today’s guest taught FBI agents how to detect and recover human remains, as well as, how to separate and identify commingled body parts. She served as consultant to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in North Carolina and continues to consult for the Laboratory of Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine from her Montreal lab, in Quebec. She is one of only 100 forensic anthropologists ever certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology. She served on the Board of Directors and as Vice President of both the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, and is currently a member of the National Police Services Advisory Council in Canada. She is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. She’s a native of Chicago and earned her Ph.D. from Northwestern University. Please welcome, Dr. Kathy Reichs…
She grew up in New York and is an avid reader of everything from takeout menus to Greek Mythology. She also enjoys a suspenseful story, well-told and historical biographies. She started writing as a child, but didn’t pursue publication until completing her first novel, The Blind. She’s a lifelong Yankee fan. She’s also a fan of Guns-N-Roses and Metallica. She loves dogs, needs all labels in the pantry to face the same direction, adores the sea, and is willing to stay up late at night for a good chat. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Brown University and two master’s degrees in Psychological Counseling from Teachers College & Columbia University. She currently owns and operates her own private practice where she counsels both individuals and couples. Author, A.F. Brady is my guest… and today we’re going to dig into the pages of her latest thriller – Once A Liar…
She’s a bestselling author who began her legal career as a criminal defense attorney and went on to become a prosecutor in the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office in 1981. She spent 10 years in the Special Trials Unit, where she handled a number of high profile cases, some of which resulted in legislation that offered victims increased protection from stalkers and more severe sentencing for offenders. She also was lead prosecutor in an L.A. County murder case that captivated the attention of the entire nation in 1994 & 1995. She’s the co-creator and executive producer of the ABC drama series, The Fix. And… she’s also the host of A&E’s unscripted drama series, Marcia Clark Investigates: The First 48. She just released Book #4 in the Samantha Brinkman Legal Series, Final Judgment, please welcome our guest for today’s Public Display of Imagination Adventure, Marcia Clark.
The gracious and debonair, Tom Straw, takes us on today’s Adventure. He published his first mystery novel, The Trigger Episode, in 2007. Then, he got an opportunity to ghost write a series of books for a popular TV Series, featuring a best-selling crime novelist, who had been given permission by his friend, the mayor, to tag along with a police detective, so that he could research his next series of books. You may remember the series; it starred Stana Katic as detective Kate Beckett and Nathan Fillion as author, Richard Castle. Today’s guest authored seven Richard Castle / Nikki Heat novels, all of which became New York Times Bestsellers. He’s also an Emmy – and Writer’s Guild of America – nominated TV writer and producer, having written and produced Night Court, Parker Lewis Can’t Lose, Dave’s World, Grace Under Fire, Cosby, Whoopi, and Nurse Jackie. We’ll talk about some of that during today’s conversation. He’s a former board member of the Mystery Writers of America, New York Chapter, he lives in Connecticut, where his home is his castle.
Our Public Display of Imagination Resources For Writers segments are designed to bring helpful insight and inspiration to writers and aspiring writers. We’ve been fortunate to talk with a host of talented and successful authors over the course of the podcast and in some cases, we’ve been able to schedule additional time with them to talk about specific topics connected to the art and the craft of writing. These are the best of the best in a number of fields related to writing and publication. We’re thankful that they were willing to spend some additional time with us. In this segment, we talk with a group of authors who write Crime Fiction and Military Thrillers. We asked about their initial impressions and thoughts regarding the worldwide pandemic experienced in the spring of 2020. In this conversation, well explore some of the challenges they have encountered, things they have observed, and thoughts as to what may or may not play well within the pages of a novel.
Our Public Display of Imagination Resources For Writers segments are designed to bring helpful insight and inspiration to writers and aspiring writers. We’ve been fortunate to talk with a host of talented and successful authors over the course of the podcast and in some cases, we’ve been able to schedule additional time with them to talk about specific topics connected to the art and the craft of writing. These are the best of the best in a number of fields related to writing and publication. We’re thankful that they were willing to spend some additional time with us. In this segment, we talk with a group of thriller authors about their initial impressions and thoughts regarding the worldwide pandemic experienced in the spring of 2020. In this conversation, well explore some of the challenges they have encountered, things they have observed, and thoughts as to what may or may not play well within the pages of a novel.
She grew up in rural Kansas, but moved to Chicago in the mid-60’s to do community service work in the same neighborhood where Martin Luther King was inspiring residents to take a stand for civil rights. In 1982, she introduced readers to a street-wise investigator who was willing to use force to get answers and wit to keep the challenges of life in perspective. Her strong-willed, sharp-tongued protagonist invaded the traditional detective boy’s club, openly challenging a genre in which women were customarily portrayed as either vamps or victims. Twenty volumes later and there are still stories to be told, including a collection of shorts that we’ll dig into along the way. Our tour guide for today’s adventure is the imagination behind the indomitable V.I. Warshawski, please welcome the iconic, Sara Paretsky…
He’s a international bestselling author with a new series debut that’s already got more than 400 top reviews on Amazon. His 2017 standalone political thriller, THE CASTLE, was called, “Gripping, wholly credible, and frankly terrifying.” by bestselling Scottish crime writer, Ian Rankin. His books in the popular Henry Parker thriller series, won him nominations for a host of prestigious awards. Three books in the series were named to “The Strand’s Best Books of the Year” list and one book, THE MARK has been optioned for feature film production. He has over 1.5 million copies in print worldwide. Please welcome our tour guide for today’s adventure, Jason Pinter…
Before she began penning captivating crime fiction, she was a journalist. She got her start as an intern at Harper’s Magazine in New York and then joined the staff of Canadian Living magazine in Toronto. After deciding that she’d rather write than edit, she left her day job to freelance full-time. That decision led to the composition of 18 nonfiction books (17 of them for Frommer’s Travel Guides) and articles for a number of publications including Discover, Martha Stewart Weddings, American Archaeology, Fitness, and Reader’s Digest. Her debut novel, The Damage Done, won both the Anthony and the Crime-Spree Award for Best First Novel. Two more novels completed the trilogy, that I’m sure we’ll talk about at some point in our conversation today. Today’s guest has also written for several Anthology volumes. And… we’ll explore that as well. We’re going to begin our adventure, however, talking about her latest release in the Shadows of New York series: Don’t Look Down. It’s hot off the presses, thanks to Thomas & Mercer Publishing and Amazon. Crime novelist, Hilary Davidson is our tour guide for today’s adventure…
He’s a critically acclaimed New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Amazon #1 Best Selling Author. His Tracy Crosswhite series of books has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide. Book 1 in the series, MY SISTER’S GRAVE, has been optioned for development as a television series. Today’s guest is also the author of the best-selling, attorney, David Sloane series. His books are sold in more than 25 countries and have been translated into more than two dozen languages. He has been nominated for, and won, numerous awards for his writing, included being a finalist for the 2017 Mystery Writers of America, Edgar Award for best novel and a two time finalist for the International Thriller Writers award. Today, we’re going to crack open the pages of his latest release, Book #7 in the Tracy Crosswhite series, A COLD TRAIL. Please welcome our tour guide, Robert Dugoni…
She was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and acquired her PhD in Linguistics from Edinburgh University. She moved to Northern California in 2010, but still journeys home every year for a couple of months. Her “proper” jobs have included banking (which she describes as hopeless) and a short stint in academia (which she labels, miserable). And, there was also that time when she immersed herself in library work and fine arts, a time that she remembers as “marvelous”. When not writing, she’s reading, gardening, baking, or running through walnut orchards. She’s visited 43 states and counting. Today, Award-Winning, Bestselling author, Catriona McPherson walks us through the pages of her latest thriller, Strangers at the Gate…
He’s a former detective sergeant with more than twenty-seven years in law enforcement. At the time of his retirement, he supervised all homicide and violent crime investigations for Maine’s largest city – Portland. Following the terror attacks of September 11th, he spent four years working counter-terrorism with the FBI and earned the “Director’s Award” – the highest honor a non-agent can receive. Since his retirement from law enforcement, he’s been writing… his first published work, Among The Shadows, was a debut success in 2016. He produced additional thrillers in the Detective John Byron series in 2017 and 2018. Today, author Bruce Robert Coffin is setting aside the time to walk us through his crime scenes…
He’s a New York Times bestselling author of 14 suspense thrillers, and counting. His novels HIGH CRIMES and PARANOIA were adapted as major motion pictures. GUILTY MINDS and COMPANY MAN won Barry Awards for Best Thriller Novels. KILLER INSTINCT won the International Thriller Writers’ Thriller Award for Best Novel. BURIED SECRETS won the Strand Critics Award for Best Novel. In 2009, he introduced readers to “Private Spy,” Nick Heller in the runaway bestseller, VANISHED. Nick Heller’s story continued across the pages of the equally riveting thrillers, BURIED SECRETS and GUILTY MINDS. Today’s tour guide is a master storyteller, who’s going to walk us into the pages of the most recent Nick Heller assignment, HOUSE ON FIRE. Founding member of the International Thriller Writers Association, Joseph Finder takes us on an adventure into the world of a billionaire pharmaceutical kingpin with plenty to hide…
He’s a graduate of Notre Dame, an avid hockey player, and an amateur musician. As the former Chicago bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal, he shared in the Pulitzer Prize given to the Wall Street Journal in 2002 for coverage of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Over the course of his writing career, he has written both compelling fiction and award-winning non-fiction. His Starvation Lake Trilogy was an Edgar Award Finalist. In November 2019, readers were introduced to a city living in the long shadows of the powerful, founding family, the Bleaks. Today’s adventure takes us back to Bleak Harbor, as our tour guide, Bryan Gruley introduces us to another long time resident, wrestling with the truth of her past. Straight out of the heart of Chicago, where the days are overcast and the winds are blowin’ cold… please welcome, Bryan Gruley…
She’s an on-air investigative reporter for Boston’s WHDH-TV with 34 EMMY awards to her credit and more journalism honors than I could list and you could follow. She’s won five Agatha Christie Awards, two Anthony’s, two Macavity’s, a Daphne, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. If there’s an award for writing, she’s got at least one to her credit. Her latest release is called, TRUST ME, and Suspense Magazine called it, “By far one of the best thrillers they had read in years.” Crime Reads says that it’s, “one of the best thrillers of 2018 summer.” Who do you trust when you can’t trust yourself? We asked Hank Phillippi Ryan that very question in this week’s adventure…
He’s a writer, a teacher, and an actor, with 10 years of experience as a features journalist. He’s also written a number of plays, which have been performed throughout the U.S. and in the UK. He’s a proud member of the Actor’s Equity Association, and teaches theatre & acting at the university-level. Like Livy Nash he loves the northwest of England and has a Yank’s appreciation for a good Lancashire Hot Pot. Today, we’ll forge into the foggy streets of London as we peel open the pages of his debut novel, SPITFIRE. Please welcome our tour guide for today’s adventure, M.L. Huie…
He’s an Award-Winning USA-Today and Amazon bestselling author, whose work will take you to some of the most mysterious and frightening places on the planet. Readers find themselves immersed in inexplicable landscapes that they sometimes “can’t wait to visit” and often wonder if they’ll ever, be able to escape. He’s published more than 20 novels and novellas, which have been translated into multiple languages and optioned for TV & film. When it comes to page-turning tension and chilling storylines, his work has been compared to that of “Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Joe Lansdale, and other masters of hair-raising suspense.” He has won both an Australian Shadows Award and a Canadian Arthur Ellis Award. He was also a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards, the only major book awards, decided by readers. Today, he’s going to introduce us to some of “The World’s Scariest Places” a new book series that is several volumes deep and growing. Leave the lights on and keep your security blanket nearby, Jeremy Bates is our tour guide for today’s adventure…
Today’s guest was the Official Documenting Photographer for the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP), the team that conducted the first in-depth scientific examination of the Shroud in 1978. Today, he plays an influential role in Shroud research and education as the editor and founder of the internationally recognized Shroud of Turin Website, Shroud dot-com, the oldest, largest and most extensive Shroud resource on the Internet, with more than fifteen million visitors from over 160 countries. In 2009 he founded the Shroud of Turin Education and Research Association, Inc. (STERA, Inc.), a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, to which he donated the website and his extensive Shroud photographic collection, as well as many other important Shroud resources, in order to preserve and maintain these materials and make them available for future research and study. He currently serves as the President of STERA, Inc. Today, we’ll walk through the pages of history, both recent (1978) and ancient (possibly as far back as the 1st century AD). Barrie M. Schwortz is our tour guide…
He’s a versatile writer and a master teacher of the craft. He’s penned more than 30 novels in the thriller genre and is currently crafting a book series that falls into the newly recognized hybrid genre of Cozy-Thriller. He wrote the popular Blaine McCracken series, a Green Beret with a bit of a James Bondian outlook. He also produced a series of books featuring Caitlin Strong, a 5th generation Texas Ranger, who finds out that the west can still be a pretty wild place at times. Today’s adventure will explore his latest Cozy-Thriller, featuring Jessica Fletcher and we’ll also highlight a hot new AudioBook that will take us inside the undercover world of Donnie Brasco. Buckle up, boys and girls… Jon Land is our tour guide for this adventure and you’ll want to keep both hands and feet inside the ride at all times…
In her career, she has worked as a freelance writer, worked on composited texts for academia, produced work on behalf of others as a ghost writer; she’s also taught high-school language arts, done translation work, and relieves stress as a martial arts instructor. She’s written a number of popular Cozy Mysteries, which I’m sure we’ll talk about at some point, including the Georgia Peach Mystery Series & Murder on Consignment. Today, we’re going to dig into the files of the Bone Gap Travelers, a series of books set in the thriving metropolis of Bone Gap, TN. Our tour guide for this Adventure is talented and creative Susan Furlong…
He was born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada and captivated as a young man by a classic 1960’s television series about two young men in a Corvette convertible, traveling the United States in search of America and themselves. The TV series was called, Route 66. His creativity was so inspired by the series, that he dreamed of writing his on fictional sagas. In 1966, he moved to Happy Valley, Pennsylvania, were he attended Penn State University, studied literature under Hemingway scholar Philip Young, and received his Master’s and Doctorate in American literature. In 1972, he released a novel about a returned Vietnam veteran suffering from post-trauma stress disorder who comes into conflict with a small-town police chief and fights his own version of the Vietnam War. The book was entitled FIRST BLOOD and it introduced the world to John Rambo. He has since produced a large volume of thrillers and international best-sellers, many of which we will talk about today. Welcome to the wide-open, full-throttle world of David Morrell…
He spent much of the 1990s as a homeless heroin addict in San Francisco, but managed to get off the streets and turn his life in a positive direction. He earned a Master of Fine Arts from Florida International University in 2008 and eventually returned to the Bay Area, where he currently lives with his wife and two sons. His autobiographical novel, JUNKIE LOVE, was published by “Battered Suitcase” in 2010 and chronicles his personal battle with drugs. Today, he’s an acquisitions editor for Gutter Books and producer of “Lip Service West,” a gritty… real… raw… reading series in Oakland, CA. He writes the bestselling Jay Porter Thriller Series, which opened with a book titled, LAMENTATION, that was an Anthony Award Nominee for Best Mystery Novel in 2015. The series is currently 5 books deep and has received rave reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and the San Francisco Chronicle, among many others. He’s also editor of a couple of really enjoyable anthologies, which I’m sure we’ll talk about at some point during our conversation. He currently teaches online writing courses for LitReactor and speaks around the country at various writing conferences and retreats. Today, we’re going to dig into the storyline of his latest release, SKUNK TRAIN. Bestselling author Joe Clifford takes us on today’s adventure…
She’s a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who writes domestic noir and psychological thrillers. Her work has been published in twenty-six countries and fourteen languages. Her novel THE COLD ROOM won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best Paperback Original. Her novels FIELD OF GRAVES and WHERE ALL THE DEAD LIE were each RITA nominees for Best Romantic Suspense. She also co-authors the international thriller series, “A Brit in the FBI” with New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter. Today we’re going to dig into the pages of her latest standalone thriller, TEAR ME APART. Please welcome, the “Thriller Chick” J. T. Ellison…
She’s a New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of a whole host of novels that fall into the Cozy Mystery genre. She’s also written several Romance novels and she won the RT Reviewer’s Choice Award for romantic comedy. She left the glitz and glamour of Toad’s Place, for the peace and quiet that comes with a fulltime position at the Cromwell, CT. Public Library. Needing a break from the non-stop excitement, she packed up all her worldly belongings and moved across country to Arizona, where she met her husband and began her writing career. Jenn McKinlay is my guest today and the latest installment in her Library Lovers Mystery Series, HITTING THE BOOKS, just released…
Today’s guest is the bestselling author of nearly 40 published books over his career, which has seen him produce work for TV, Movies, and Video Games… We’re sure to pull on all of those dangling threads at some point during today’s conversation. He’s written both standalone and series and serial novels… He was the 3rd author (and 1st American author) to be tasked with taking over for Ian Fleming and continuing the James Bond story, something he did for 7 years. His book THE JAMES BOND BEDSIDE COMPANION, is an encyclopedic work on all things 007, and was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award by Mystery Writers of America for Best Biographical/Critical Work. His Black Stiletto 5-book series has been optioned for TV & Film. Today, we’ll explore his latest release – BLUES IN THE DARK… Raymond Benson is our guide for today’s adventure.
She’s a dual Irish/American citizen, who was born just outside of Washington DC where she grew up among senators and supreme court justices. She has a PH.D in Anthropology from UCLA, with a background in archaeology, cultural neuroscience, ancient religion, colonialism, and human rights. She’s conducted field work in various locations around the world, including Micronesia, West Africa, Central America, and Western Europe. She has also done research at the University of London, Institute of Historical Research and her academic work has been published in a variety of journals, including the prestigious Cambridge Archaeological Journal. She briefly attended Georgetown Law School and worked as a murder investigator for the Washington DC Public Defenders Service where she gained an insider’s view of the criminal justice system. Aside from writing the riveting thriller series that will launch today’s adventure, she’s also a Wilderness K9 Search and Rescue volunteer and certified as a Federal Disaster Worker for the Incident Command System. Ellison Cooper takes us on today’s adventure…
He’s a native of the Brooklyn, NY, who graduated from Brown University and ascended the ranks of a major New York City Ad Agency, before leaving the city behind in August of 2001 and moving to Portland, ME, to begin a new career as a fiction writer. Since that time, he’s published five books in the McCabe & Savage Thriller series and each one of them has ascended the rankings on the NY Times Best-Seller list. Book #6 in the series, A FATAL OBSESSION, released in August 2018, just a few short weeks after this conversation. NY Times Best-Selling Thriller author, James Hayman, takes us on this Way Back When’s Day Adventure as we crack open the pages of THE GIRL ON THE BRIDGE.
He’s a Navy Seal and Shadow Warrior, whose personal missions have kept readers turning pages for the past 3 years. In days past and gone, he followed orders explicitly, without questioning what he was being instructed to do… or why… Now, he has a new identity and the playing field is clouded by shadow and misdirection. What was once clear, is now ambiguous at best. Today’s adventure will be guided by a pair of Navy Veterans, who are the writing team behind the Tier One series. They will introduce us to our Shadow Warrior, John Dempsey and give us a brief overview of how his world has changed from one of certainty, to one of perspective, point of view, and high-stakes judgment calls. Our guides for today’s adventure are Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson.
She began her writing career in 1981 and since then has authored more than sixty-five New York Times bestsellers. She majored in English at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX, and received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the university. She was the featured, headline host of Thrillerfest 2008, where she was awarded the prestigious International Thriller Writers Award. She has more than 80 million copies of her books in print in 33 different languages, but she’s still got stories to tell. Today, we step into a world of twists, turns, romance, and suspense. Sandra Brown is our guide for today’s adventure as we step into the pages of her latest thriller…TAILSPIN.
He’s a USA-TODAY bestselling author of a number of thriller and horror novels for adults and Young Adults. His series, The Templar Chronicles, featuring Jack Templar, Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his son, an 11 year old reluctant reader, to give reading a try. The family experiment worked and a new book series was born. His experience with his son, has made him passionate about helping parents reach young reluctant readers and he has become a proactive advocate in child literacy issues. His books for adults have become both USA-Today and Amazon bestsellers. His with novel, Night Chill, scoring nearly one-thousand positive reviews. He’s a father of five, who leads an active life in Maryland with his wife Nicole and Labrador Retriever, Rocky. Today, Jeff Gunhus takes us on a chilling adventure as we crack open the pages of Gypsy Blood…
She’s played out her imagination on the page since childhood, compiling story after story well into her college years, when med-school intervened. Once her Family Medicine Residency was behind her and her medical career was established, she returned to her keyboard. She’s won a Lefty Award, was nominated for an Agatha, and chosen as one of Suspense Magazine‘s best debut authors of 2016. She enjoys classical music, fine whiskey, art, travel, embroidery, and a good ghost story. Her Gethsemane Brown Cozy Mystery series introduces readers to their own ghost they can get cozy with. It’s 4 books deep and today the author takes us on an adventurous tour. Alexia Gordon is my guest...
He’s a native of Seattle, who grew up aboard a sailboat, and often found adventure around the islands and marinas and commercial docks of the Pacific Northwest… sometimes trouble. He now lives in California with his family but frequently returns to his hometown to soak up the ever-present company of the rain. His debut novel, PAST CRIMES, won the Anthony, the Macavity, and Strand Magazine’s Critics Award for Best First Novel. It was also nominated for the Edgar, Barry, and Nero awards. Publishers Weekly and Library Journal gave PAST CRIMES starred reviews, and Kirkus called the book “an exciting heir to the classic detective novel”. The book introduced readers to an Army Ranger named Van Shaw, whose troublesome past called him home just in time to become the lead suspect in a murder… his grandfather’s murder. Subsequent volumes have kept readers turning pages for four years at this point. Today’s adventure finds Van Shaw in the midst of a three-day party that swallows up the isolated town of MERCY RIVER every year. Please welcome my guest, award-winning author Glen Erik Hamilton…
She’s an award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels including the two that will seed the popcorn trail for today’s adventure. Her work has been translated into 17 languages and been optioned for TV and film. She’s a notorious night-owl, who loves movies, playing football with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband. When she’s not at her keyboard, working through the twists and turns of her next storyline, you might find her bouncing around social media or hanging around the snack table. She’s a former Mrs. Nebraska, who bestselling author Steven James calls, “One of the most gifted novelists, writing today.” Please welcome my guest, the multi-faceted, Tosca Lee…
Between the ages of 12 and 19, he was fired from approximately nine different jobs… including newspaper delivery boy (for dereliction of duty), apartment complex maintenance man (for general incompetence), and photo darkroom attendant (for dereliction of duty, general incompetence, and the inappropriate use of a darkroom). Putting his sketchy job history behind him, he has gone on to author a number of bestselling books, including THE LONG AND FARAWAY GONE, which won the Edgar, the Anthony, the Barry, and the Macavity Awards in 2016, as well as state sponsored awards from Alabama and Oklahoma. Today, we’re going to talk about his latest release, a thriller / love story, which is set against the backdrop of the JFK assassination. Bestselling author, Lou Berney is my guest, and today he takes us on an adventure down NOVEMBER ROAD…
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