Speaking of Writers

Dan Mason's career helped shape modern radio. In this episode of Speaking of Writers, he discusses Fearless: The Life and Times of a Media Maverick, a memoir chronicling more than forty years of innovation, leadership, and change in the broadcasting industry. Discover behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in leadership, and why radio continues to matter in a rapidly evolving media landscape.#DanMason #Fearless #SpeakingOfWriters #SteveRichards #Radio #Broadcasting #MediaLeadership #Memoir #Podcast #AuthorInterview #RadioHistory #BroadcastingLegend #Books #BookPodcast #MediaInnovation #Storytelling #BFOA #BroadcastersFoundationOfAmerica

Five-time National Sportswriter of the Year and #1 New York Times bestselling author Joe Posnanski joins Speaking of Writers  to discuss BIG FAN, a heartfelt and hilarious celebration of sports, friendship, travel, and fandom.From baseball to Premier League soccer, darts to pickleball, and even Taylor Swift, Joe explores why the things we love bring us together.#JoePosnanski #BigFan #SpeakingOfWriters #SportsBooks #SportsWriting #SportsPodcast #Baseball #Football #PremierLeague #Baseball100 #MichaelSchur #ThePosCast #AuthorInterview #BookPodcast #Books #Readers #SportsFans #Storytelling #Podcast #SpotifyPodcast

Steve Richards welcomes award-winning historian Richard Vinen to discuss The Last Titans, a compelling new look at Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle, two extraordinary leaders whose influence continues to shape the world.Watch and Listen now on Spotify.#RichardVinen #TheLastTitans #SpeakingOfWriters #HistoryPodcast #Churchill #CharlesDeGaulle #WorldHistory #Biography #MilitaryHistory #Leadership #Books #AuthorInterview

Steve Richards welcomes author Pat Gaffey to discuss Bobby Rich: My Life in Your Radio, the inspiring biography of one of America's most beloved radio personalities. From Top 40's golden age to today's evolving broadcasting landscape, discover the incredible career, unforgettable stories, and lasting legacy of Bobby Rich.#SpeakingOfWriters #PatGaffey #BobbyRich #MyLifeInYourRadio #RadioHistory #Broadcasting #Top40 #ClassicRadio #DJLife #RadioLegend #MusicHistory #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #SteveRichards #Podcast #Radio #BroadcastJournalism #Books #Nonfiction #BroadcastingHistory

Lenny Shulman joins Speaking of Writers and the Keeneland Library Lecture Series to discuss his new book, A.P. Indy: Championship Racehorse and Breed-Shaping Sire.From Belmont Stakes glory and Horse of the Year honors to becoming one of the most influential stallions in Thoroughbred history, A.P. Indy's story is one of perseverance, excellence, and lasting impact. Emmy Award-winning author and veteran racing journalist Lenny Shulman shares the remarkable journey of a horse whose legacy still shapes the sport today.#SpeakingOfWriters #KeenelandLibrary #APIndy #LennyShulman #HorseRacing #ThoroughbredRacing #BelmontStakes #BreedersCup #LanesEndFarm #SeattleSlew #Secretariat #HorseOfTheYear #EquineHistory #BooksAndAuthors

As part of the Speaking of Writers America 250 Series, Steve Richards talks with presidential historian Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky about her book Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic.The conversation explores how America's second president transformed the presidency, navigated the nation's earliest political crises, and established precedents that continue to influence presidents today.#SpeakingOfWriters #America250 #JohnAdams #FoundingFathers #USHistory #AmericanHistory #Presidency #LindsayChervinsky #GeorgeWashington #ThomasJefferson #HistoryPodcast #HistoryBooks #OxfordUniversityPress #SteveRichards #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #PoliticalHistory #Constitution #ExecutiveBranch #MountVernon

As America commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Harvard Law School professor Alexandra Natapoff joins Steve Richards to discuss America Unfinished: 250 Years of Law and Governance, a landmark essay collection co-edited with Guy-Uriel Charles.Featuring contributions from more than 60 Harvard Law School scholars, the book explores executive power, democracy, economic inequality, technological disruption, race, accountability, and the future of American governance. An essential conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing the nation at this historic moment.This is part of the Speaking of Writers America 250 series.#SpeakingOfWriters #America250 #AmericaUnfinished #AlexandraNatapoff #HarvardLawSchool #AmericanHistory #Democracy #Governance #Constitution #Law #Politics #HistoryPodcast #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview Hashtags

America celebrated its 100th birthday with the largest event the nation had ever seen.Author Fergus M. Bordewich joins Steve Richards to explore the remarkable story behind the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, the people who shaped it, and how the World's Fair became a turning point in American history.A fascinating conversation for history lovers, readers, and anyone interested in America's past and future. This is part of The Speaking of Writers America 250 series. Subscribe for more episodes.

Part of the Speaking of Writers America 250 SeriesAward-winning author Jim Rasenberger joins Steve Richards to discuss A Perfect Coincidence, an engaging new look at the remarkable friendship, rivalry, reconciliation, and extraordinary final chapter of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.Recorded as part of the Speaking of Writers America 250 Series, this conversation explores the enduring legacy of two Founding Fathers whose lives—and astonishing deaths—remain among the most compelling stories in American history.#SpeakingOfWriters #America250 #JimRasenberger #APerfectCoincidence #JohnAdams #ThomasJefferson #FoundingFathers #DeclarationOfIndependence #AmericanHistory #HistoryPodcast #AuthorInterview #PresidentialHistory #USHistory #Biography #RevolutionaryWar #Books #SteveRichards #Democracy #HistoryBooks #Podcast

Historian Michael Auslin discusses National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America, revealing the fascinating history behind America's most iconic founding document.Listen now on Spotify.#SpeakingOfWriters #America250 #DeclarationOfIndependence #MichaelAuslin #AmericanHistory #HistoryPodcast #AuthorInterview #FoundingFathers #BookPodcast #HistoryLovers #ThomasJefferson #USHistory #NationalTreasure #PodcastRecommendations

As America approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, historian Robert G. Parkinson joins Speaking of Writers to discuss his groundbreaking new book, Tyrants and Rogues: Understanding the Declaration of Independence. This is a part of The Speaking of Writers special America 250 series.Rather than focusing on the Declaration's famous preamble, Parkinson takes readers inside the twenty-seven grievances that formed the heart of the document and explains why those complaints against King George III and the British government drove the colonies toward independence.Discover the forgotten figures, political battles, and explosive events that shaped America's founding—and why many of those issues remain relevant today.#SpeakingOfWriters #RobertGParkinson #TyrantsAndRogues #DeclarationOfIndependence #AmericanRevolution #America250 #HistoryPodcast #FoundingFathers #USHistory #BookPodcast

Author E. Davis Enloe joins Steve Richards to discuss his debut novel, Into the Night Woods. Set in the North Carolina Appalachians, this powerful coming-of-age story follows two young friends navigating danger, loyalty, family struggles, and the search for refuge in a world that often lets them down.Enloe shares the inspiration behind the novel, his writing journey, Appalachian storytelling traditions, and what he hopes readers take away from Boyd's unforgettable summer adventure.#EDavisEnloe #IntoTheNightWoods #SpeakingOfWriters #AuthorInterview #BookPodcast #LiteraryFiction #SouthernFiction #AppalachianLiterature #ComingOfAgeNovel #Readers #Books #WritingCommunity #NewRelease #BookDiscussion #SteveRichards

Author and veteran music journalist Paul Rees joins Speaking of Writers to discuss his new book, Raised on Radio: Power Ballads, Cocaine & Payola—The AOR Glory Years 1976-1986.Discover the untold story behind the rise of Album-Oriented Rock and the bands that dominated radio and stadiums during one of rock music's most successful decades. From Journey and Foreigner to REO Speedwagon, Toto, Heart, and Styx, Rees explores the music, excess, rivalries, and lasting legacy of AOR.#PaulRees #RaisedOnRadio #AOR #Journey #Foreigner #BostonBand #REOSpeedwagon #Toto #HeartBand #PatBenatar #Styx #ClassicRock #RockHistory #MusicBooks #AuthorInterview #SpeakingOfWriters #PowerBallads #RockAndRoll #BookTube #MusicPodcast

Speaking of Writers welcomes historian Matthew Pinsker to discuss his groundbreaking new book, Boss Lincoln: The Partisan Life of Abraham Lincoln. This is part of The Speaking of Writers America 250 Series. Discover the political genius behind America's 16th president as Pinsker explores Lincoln's remarkable ability to build coalitions, navigate fierce partisan battles, and lead the nation through its greatest crisis.From the Gettysburg Address to the election of 1864, this conversation reveals a side of Lincoln that history books often overlook—the master politician who helped preserve the Union and secure emancipation.LikeSubscribeShare your favorite Lincoln fact in the comments!#speakingofwriterspodcast #MatthewPinsker #BossLincoln #AbrahamLincoln #CivilWar #AmericanHistory #HistoryPodcast #Lincoln #Books #AuthorInterview

Did the legend of Elizabeth Bathory survive because of truth… or misinformation?Author Shelley Puhak joins Speaking of Writers to discuss The Blood Countess: Murder, Betrayal, and the Making of a Monster, a fascinating new biography exploring the real story behind one of history's most feared women.Listen now on Spotify.#ShelleyPuhak #TheBloodCountess #SpeakingOfWriters #HistoricalBiography #HistoryPodcast #AuthorInterview #ElizabethBathory #BookLovers #TrueCrimeHistory #WomenInHistory #SpotifyPodcasts #SteveRichards

Steve Richards welcomes Sergio Villanueva to Speaking of Writers to discuss his debut book, Never One Without the Other. Inspired by his relationship and written originally as a gift for his girlfriend, the book explores themes of love, healing, self-discovery, and hope through the symbolic characters of the Black Deer and the White Rose.Tune in for a heartfelt conversation about storytelling, relationships, and the journey from personal project to published author.#SpeakingOfWriters #SergioVillanueva #NeverOneWithoutTheOther #AuthorInterview #BookPodcast #IndieAuthor #RomanceBooks #LoveStory #BookDiscussion #SteveRichards #WritingJourney #Readers #BooksAndAuthors

Join host Steve Richards as he welcomes New York Times bestselling author Brett Battles to discuss Stuart Woods' Deep Water, the newest installment in the legendary Stone Barrington series.In this episode:Continuing the legacy of Stuart WoodsWriting the iconic Stone Barrington characterThe mystery behind Deep WaterCrafting suspense and unforgettable thrillersBrett Battles' writing process and future projectsIf you enjoy thrillers, mysteries, crime fiction, and behind-the-scenes conversations with bestselling authors, this episode is for you.Subscribe for more author interviews and literary conversations.#BrettBattles #DeepWater #StuartWoods #StoneBarrington #SpeakingOfWriters #AuthorInterview #ThrillerAuthor #MysteryBooks #BookTube #BookPodcast #CrimeFiction #SuspenseThriller #WritersLife #ReadersCommunity #BooksAndAuthors

Legendary race caller Tom Durkin joins The Speaking of Writers Podcast to discuss his memoir, A Life's Calling: The Voice Behind the World's Greatest Horse Races. This is episode 2 of our special Keeneland Library Lecture Series.Durkin reflects on his journey from small Midwestern tracks to becoming the iconic voice of the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Preakness, Breeders' Cup, and NYRA racing. Hear stories from behind the scenes, memorable horses, career-defining calls, and the passion that fueled one of the greatest broadcasting careers in sports.Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.#TomDurkin #ALifesCalling #HorseRacing #SportsBroadcasting #SpeakingOfWriters #AuthorInterview #KentuckyDerby #BreedersCup #BelmontStakes #PreaknessStakes #NYRA #PaulVolponi #LennyShulman #Audiobook #PodcastInterview #SportsBooks

America 250 series episode 1.Historian Robert P. Watson joins The Speaking of Writers Podcast for our special America 250 Series to discuss Declaration: The Story of American Independence — uncovering the untold stories, debates, and drama behind America's founding document. #America250 #Declaration #RobertPWatson #SpeakingofWriters #authorpodcast #authorinterview #author

Mike Vaccaro joins The Speaking of Writers Podcast  to discuss The Bosses of the Bronx, an entertaining and insightful look at the Steinbrenner family's fifty-plus years running the New York Yankees. From championships and controversies to family dynamics and baseball history, Vaccaro explores the endless drama behind one of sports' greatest dynasties.#SpeakingOfWriters #MikeVaccaro #TheBossesOfTheBronx #Yankees #BaseballHistory #MLB #SportsBooks #AuthorInterview #GeorgeSteinbrenner #HalSteinbrenner #BaseballPodcast #BookTalk #SportsWriting #NewYorkYankees

New York Times bestselling author and former special forces officer Brad Taylor is back with a dynamic political thriller featuring Pike Logan as he goes head-to-head with an old enemy—and renowned assassin.Brad Taylor was born on Okinawa, Japan, but grew up on 40-acres in rural Texas. Graduating from the University of Texas, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Infantry. Brad served for more than 21 years, retiring as a Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel. During that time he held numerous Infantry and Special Forces positions, including eight years in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta where he commanded multiple troops and a squadron. He has conducted operations in support of US national interests in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other classified locations.His final assignment was as the Assistant Professor of Military Science at The Citadel in Charleston, SC. He holds a Master's of Science in Defense Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School, with a concentration in Irregular Warfare. In 2011, Brad published his debut novel, One Rough Man, which was an immediate success and launched the Pike Logan series. Now with 20 installments and more than 4 million copies sold, the series has consistently hit the New York Times bestseller list. When not writing, he serves as a security consultant on asymmetric threats for various agencies. He lives in Charleston, SC with his wife.#BradTaylor #ShadowStrike #PikeLogan #SpeakingOfWriters #ThrillerBooks #PoliticalThriller #EspionageThriller #BookPodcast #MilitaryThriller #AuthorInterview

From National Treasure: Book of Secrets to his debut novel A Thousand Cuts, Gregory Poirier talks storytelling, creating Max Starkey, and bringing cinematic suspense to the page on Speaking of Writers.#MaxStarkey #GregoryPoirier #ThrillerAuthor #SpeakingOfWriters #BookLovers #WritersLife #NewBooks

Did Marilyn Monroe really die in 1962… or did she escape?Bestselling author Lois Cahall joins Speaking of Writers to discuss her powerful new novel Maybe Marilyn, a fictional reimagining of Marilyn Monroe's life if she survived and disappeared to finally live the life she always wanted.Steve Richards and Lois discuss Marilyn's legacy, historical research, conspiracy theories, fame, reinvention, and why readers still long for a happier ending for one of Hollywood's most iconic stars.Maybe Marilyn is available now wherever books are sold.#LoisCahall #MaybeMarilyn #MarilynMonroe #SpeakingOfWriters #AuthorInterview #HistoricalFiction #Hollywood #BookTube #BooksAndAuthors #SteveRichards #MarilynLives #Literature #ClassicHollywood

On Episode 1 of the Keeneland Library Lecture Series, Steve Richards talks with author Paul Halloran about CODY'S WISH — the unforgettable true story of Cody Dorman and the champion racehorse who became his best friend. A moving conversation about resilience, hope, and the bond between humans and horses.#SpeakingOfWriters #CodysWish #PaulHalloran #HorseRacing #Keeneland #BreedersCup #MakeAWish #Books #AuthorInterview #Podcast

Ron LeFlore was serving 5-15 years for armed robbery when he played his first organized baseball game—in a prison yard. Three years later, he was starting in center field for the Detroit Tigers.His story became a bestselling book and a TV movie starring LeVar Burton. Then it all fell apart.Adam Henig (@adamhenig) joins us to discuss BASEBALL'S OUTCAST, his deeply researched biography that goes beyond the rise-and-fall narrative to explore the segregated Detroit that shaped LeFlore, the criminal justice system he navigated, and the childhood trauma that followed him from the prison cage to the batting cage.#speakingofwriterspodcast #authorpodcast #authorinterview #detroittigers #ronleflore#baseballbook #baseball

From suppressed anger to unleashed power — Sam Beckbessinger dives into the themes behind FEMME FERAL, one of 2026's most anticipated horror debuts, on Speaking of Writers.ABOUT THE AUTHORSam Beckbessinger teaches creative writing at Bath Spa University, writes kids' TV and picture books, and once wrote for Marvel. She grew up on a farm near Durban, South Africa, but now lives in London.#AuthorInterview #SamBeckbessinger #Bookstagram #HorrorCommunity #PodcastInterview #FeministHorror #NewBooks

ELEGY IN BLUE is an unforgettable tale of love, loss, and remembrance set in Brooklyn.Mark Helprin is the internationally acclaimed, bestselling author of Paris in the Present Tense, Winter's Tale, In Sunlight and in Shadow, A Soldier of the Great War, Freddy and Fredericka, The Pacific, Swan Lake, Ellis Island, Memoir from Antproof Case, and numerous other works. #authorpodcast #markhelprin #bookpodcast #booklovers #speakingofwriterspodcast #podcast

It's 1985, what will soon become known as “The Year of the Spy,” and fourteen-year-old Peter Bennett is convinced his mom's new boyfriend is a Russian agent. “Gary” isn't in the phone book, has an unidentifiable European accent, and keeps a gun in the glove box of his convertible Porsche. Peter thinks Gary only wants to get close to his mom because she works at Scientific Atlanta, a lab with big government contracts. But who is going to believe him? He's just a kid into BMX and MTV.Ace Atkins is an award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels and numerous short stories. A former college football player and newspaper reporter, he's a recipient of the Richard Wright Literary Excellence Award, the Harper Lee Award, and a member of the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame. He lives with his wife Angela and two children in Oxford, Mississippi.#authorpodcast #speakingofwriterspodcast #AceAtkins #SpeakingOfWriters #BookPodcast #ColdWarThriller #AuthorInterview #BookLovers

Author Mel Michalski joins Speaking of Writers to discuss his powerful new book Living in the Spiritual World—a deeply personal journey of faith, redemption, and spiritual discovery.#SpeakingOfWriters#MelMichalski#LivingInTheSpiritualWorld#FaithJourney#ChristianBooks#SpiritualGrowth#InspirationalReads#FaithBasedBooks

Robert Polito takes us inside the creative mind of Bob Dylan with his new book After the Flood: Inside Bob Dylan's Memory Palace. A deep dive into reinvention, artistry, and legacy.#SpeakingOfWriters#BobDylan#AuthorInterview#BookPodcast#MusicHistory#LiteraryPodcast

Emilio Pucci: The Astonishing Odyssey of a Fashion Icon . The book has received glowing reviews from The New York Times, Vogue, Publishers Weekly, and more.When people think of fashion designer Emilio Pucci, it is of his bright, swirling colors and easy, freeing fabrics, and everyone from Sophia Loren to Jackie Kennedy donning the eye-catching dresses that personify La Dolce Vita. What few know about Pucci, however, is that before creating his world-famous fashions, he played a critical role in the war against the Nazis, risking his life to smuggle out to the Allies one of the most important documents of World War II.The authors bring to life Italy's darkest and brightest days, with the extraordinary Emilio Pucci at its center. Italy at the end of the war was broken, and Florence, which the Pucci family had called home for seven centuries, lay in ruins. Pucci returned home bruised in body and soul, having endured trials that would have broken many, but, like Italy itself, rose from the ashes, and went on to design some of the most exuberant fashion of all time. He helped usher in a new era of creativity in Italy, which again became a mecca of fashion, art, design, film, and more.About the authors:Idanna Pucci is the author of The Lady of Sing Sing and The World Odyssey of a Balinese Prince. Idanna grew up in the Pucci palace, eyewitness to her uncle's extraordinary work. She and Terence have had far flung lives, from Iran to Indonesia. They live in Florence.Terence Ward is the author of Searching for Hassan: A Journey to the Heart of Iran and The Guardian of Mercy: How an Extraordinary Painting by Caravaggio Changed an Ordinary Life.#speakingofwriterspodcast #authorpodcast #authors #stmartinspublishing #italy #florenceitaly #emiliopucci#bookpodcast

Emily Carpenter has earned her place as a master of Southern Gothic suspense with her immersive novels set in the atmospheric South, where she was born and raised. The former actor, producer and screenwriter, who grew up in Alabama and lives in Georgia, chose the historic and picturesque city of Savannah for the setting of her seventh novel, A SPELL FOR SAINTS AND SINNERS, to be published by Kensington . Frequently ranked among America's most haunted cities, Savannah is a fitting locale for this mesmerizing novel of intrigue, family secrets, and dark pasts, layered with a deft touch of the supernatural. #speakingofwriterspodcast #emilycarpenter#authorpodcast#novels

In 1969, a Picasso painting titled Portrait of a Woman and Musketeer vanished from Logan International Airport's loading dock in Boston and ended up in the home of Merrill “Bill” Rummel, a forklift operator. Unaware of its contents, Rummel took the crate home, later discovering that it contained the painting and hiding it in his closet. As the missing Picasso drew the attention of the FBI and the Winter Hill Gang, Rummel and his fiancée panicked. Could this accidental Picasso thief avoid both the mob and the FBI?What happened next was a sort of reverse heist. Stealing this painting was easy—it was actually an accident.The tricky part was devising a foolproof plan to return it without getting arrested or killed. This book, co- authored by Whit Rummel Jr. and best-selling author and art crime expert Noah Charney, tells the full story and looks at incidents of art theft in the United States, putting this quirky crime into context.ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Whit Rummel Jr. is an award-winning screenwriter and film maker. After graduating with a Master's in Film from Boston University, he began his career as a documentarian. His first project, TATOO, was a quirky 16mm film about heavily tattooed people that aired nationally on the PBS series, Independent Focus. He went on to establish WHITCOM Associates, a Boston-based production house specializing in innovative programming for corporate and commercial clients. His first screenplay, Secret Boy, was awarded the Nicholl Fellowship from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He was contracted by Disney Toon studios to script an animated feature calls Pigs Might Fly.

From self-trained lawyer to Supreme Court Justice and chief prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials — Robert H. Jackson's life reshaped American jurisprudence.On this episode of Speaking of Writers, legal historian G. Edward White discusses his new biography Robert H. Jackson: A Life in Judgment, exploring Jackson's defense of the New Deal, his dissent in Korematsu, his role in Brown v. Board of Education, and his historic leadership at Nuremberg.A fascinating look at law, courage, and constitutional principle.#RobertHJackson #GEDwardWhite #LegalHistory #SupremeCourt #Nuremberg #SpeakingOfWriters

Acclaimed and award-winning author Nick Petrie is back with another propulsive thriller in his bestselling Peter Ash series. At the suggestion of his girlfriend, June Cassidy, Peter rides to the aid of an investigative reporter who may have stumbled on a story more explosive than even he can handle in THE DARK TIME.Nick Petrie is the author of nine novels in the Peter Ash series, most recently The Price You Pay. His debut, The Drifter, won both the ITW Thriller award and the Barry Award for Best First Novel, and was a finalist for the Edgar and the Hammett Awards. A husband and father, he lives in the Milwaukee area.#nickpetrie #authors #authorpodcast #speakingofwriterspodcast #novels

THE CROSSROADS is a gripping, family-centered mystery for both loyal fans and newcomers. Readers love Joe Pickett—a likeable, dogged hero who always tries to do the right thing—and this time, his three daughters share the spotlight. Set against the fierce beauty of the modern West, where energy empires, cartels, and powerful families vie for control of the land, Box delivers a timely, emotionally charged thriller about family, loyalty, and the cost of standing for what's right in a world where corruption runs deep.At the heart of C.J. Box's appeal is his creation of game warden, Joe Pickett, an unlikely hero who has nonetheless become one of the most beloved protagonists in contemporary crime fiction. Joe is not a hard-drinking big-city detective or a noir antihero; he's a polite, hard-working game warden in rural Wyoming, a family man who “lives paycheck to paycheck” and is deeply fond of his wife and daughters (no brooding lone wolf clichés here). He's human and fallible – he sometimes screws up, doubts himself, or gets in over his head – but he always tries to do the right thing. That said, he's encountered some very grisly scenes and insane villains. And game wardens are unique because they can legitimately be involved in just about every major event or situation that involves the outdoors and the rough edges of the rural new west.C. J. Box is the #1 New York Times of twenty-six Joe Pickett novels, eight stand-alone novels, and a story collection. He has won the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, Gumshoe, and two Barry awards, as well as the French Prix Calibre .38, the Western Heritage Award for Literature, and two Spur Awards. An avid outdoorsman, Box has hunted, fished, hiked, ridden, and skied throughout Wyoming and the Mountain West. He has been executive producer on shows based on his books, including ABC TV's Big Sky and Joe Pickett on Paramount+.#cjbox#speakingofwriterspodcast#authorpodcast#joepickett#bookpodcast

Archaeologist turned Chief Sales Officer Marco Barbi joins Speaking of Writers to discuss his book 7th Power of 7: A Short Guide to Sales Mastery. From selling kitchen knives in college — including finishing a pitch while bleeding from a severe cut — to overseeing sales expansion across North America, Marco shares the science behind mastering the perfect sale.For more info on the book click HERE#Sales #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #SpeakingOfWriterspodcast

Poet Angel Cordero joins Speaking of Writers to talk about real life, family, faith, conflict, humor, and vulnerability behind his poetry collection The Life We Lead. Written over three years, this book is part autobiography, part self-reflection, and part companion for anyone navigating love, loss, and everyday life. A deeply human conversation about stories that shape us—and the words that help us survive them.For more info on the book click HERE

From acclaimed historian and author of the “marvelous” (The New York Times Book Review) The Last American Aristocrat comes a captivating new biography of Teddy Roosevelt, exploring the life of America's 26th president and his pivotal role in shaping the dawn of the American Century.Theodore Roosevelt was one of America's most fascinating presidents—a complex man both publicly and privately. In this sweeping biography, historian David S. Brown takes us on an electrifying journey through Theodore Roosevelt's life—from his privileged New York upbringing to his transformative presidency that reshaped America's role on the global stage.In the Arena vividly brings Roosevelt to life as a man of striking contradictions: a rugged outdoorsman with a love for books, a war hero who earned a Nobel Peace Prize, and a larger-than-life figure whose energy seemed boundless. Through compelling storytelling and meticulous research, Brown explores the pivotal moments that forged Roosevelt's indomitable spirit, from battling childhood asthma to witnessing the deaths of both his mother and his wife on the same day, to wrangling cattle in the West and preserving 150 million acres of national land.Challenging traditional views, In the Arena offers a fresh perspective on Roosevelt's groundbreaking political legacy, including his Square Deal policies that laid the groundwork for modern social welfare programs. It also unpacks his bold foreign policy, which expanded America's global influence and set the stage for its rise as a world power. Brown argues that Roosevelt's charisma and performative presidency helped bridge the old Victorian values with the new industrial age, capturing the attention of the middle-class and making him a leader that the people loved.Drawing comparisons to works like David McCullough's Mornings on Horseback, Brown's narrative stands out for its rich detail and sharp insights. More than just an account of a presidency—it's an exploration of a life lived on the edge of greatness and is a must-read for anyone who wants to better understand this critical period of American history.ABOUT THE AUTHORDavid S. Brown teaches history at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. He is the author of eight books, including In the Arena: Theodore Roosevelt in War, Peace, and Revolution; A Hell of a Storm: The Battle for Kansas, the End of Compromise, and the Coming of the Civil War; The First Populist: The Defiant Life of Andrew Jackson; The Last American Aristocrat: The Brilliant Life and Improbable Education of Henry Adams; and biographies of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Richard Hofstadter.#speakingofwriterspodcast #authorpodcast #theodoreroosevelt#americanpresidents

BEING THOMAS JEFFERSON: An Intimate History (Bloomsbury), is the deepest dive yet into the heart and soul, secret affairs, unexplored alliances, and bitter feuds of a generally worshipped, intermittently reviled American icon from accomplished Jefferson scholar and biographer Andrew Burstein. A prolific historian of early American politics and culture long specializing in the life of the mind in bygone times, Burstein peels back the curtain on Jefferson. He shows the most articulate of the founding generation to have been a seductive, quietly ambitious theoretician who privately wavered “between involvement and retreat, between conviction and irresolution,” he writes.About the author: ANDREW BURSTEIN recently retired from Louisiana State University where he was the Charles P. Manship Professor of History. He is the author of The Passions of Andrew Jackson, Jefferson's Secrets, and numerous other books on early American politics and culture. He is co-author (with Nancy Isenberg) of Madison and Jefferson and The Problem of Democracy. He is on the Advisory Committee of the Papers of Thomas Jefferson. Burstein's writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and on Salon. He advised Ken Burns's production Thomas Jefferson, and was featured on C-SPAN's American Presidents series and Booknotes, as well as numerous NPR programs. He lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. #andrewburstein#charlottesville#monticello #authorpodcast #speakingofwriterspodcast #books

Madden & Summerall tells the inside story of how two unlikely partners became the greatest broadcast duoin NFL history. Rich Podolsky has been an established writer and reporter since the1970s, covering the Miami Dolphins and writing for The NFL Today. He has been a staff writer for CBS Sports and has written for The Philadelphia Daily News, The Palm Beach Post, The Wilmington News Journal, and ESPN. He is also the recipient of the prestigious Keystone Press Award for writing excellence from the Pennsylvania Publishers Association.

On this episode, Wayne A. Lynch, retired journalist and author of Blood Stained Papers. Blending vampire lore with newsroom realism, Wayne explores guilt, redemption, and the emotional toll of immortality in a story where love may be the only path to salvation.

Former FBI Agent John Schachnovsky talks international crime, global justice & real-life cases. He also reveals what it takes to catch criminals across continents.#speakingofwriterspodcast #authorpodcast #books #truecrimepodcast

A few nights before Halloween, as Cork O'Connor gloomily ruminates on his upcoming birthday, he receives a call from his son, Stephen, who is working for a nonprofit dedicated to securing freedom for unjustly incarcerated inmates. Stephen tells his father that decades ago, as the newly elected sheriff of Tamarack County, Cork was responsible for sending an Ojibwe man named Axel Boshey to prison for a brutal murder that Stephen is certain he did not commit.Cork feels compelled to reinvestigate the crime, but that is easier said than done. Not only is it a closed case but Axel Boshey is, inexplicably, refusing to help. The deeper Cork digs, the clearer it becomes that there are those in Tamarack County who are willing once again to commit murder to keep him from finding the truth.At the same time, Cork's seven-year-old grandson has his own theory about the investigation: the Windigo, that mythic cannibal ogre, has come to Tamarack County…and it won't leave until it has sated its hunger for human blood.William Kent Krueger is the New York Times bestselling author of The River We Remember, This Tender Land, Ordinary Grace (winner of the Edgar Award for best novel), and the original audio novella The Levee, as well as twenty acclaimed books in the Cork O'Connor mystery series, including Spirit Crossing, Fox Creek, and Lightning Strike. He lives in the Twin Cities with his family. Learn more at WilliamKentKrueger.com.#speakingofwriterspodcast #williamkentkrueger #authorpodcast

How do faith, science, and secular ideology intersect—and collide?Author and physicist Michael Ebifegha joins Speaking of Writers to discuss his book Satan's Shadow in Abrahamic Religions, examining belief systems, evolution, and religious authority in the modern world.#speakingofwriterspodcast #faithandscience #authorpodcast

On this episode of The Speaking of Writers Podcast, we welcome award-winning historian Jack Kelly, author of Tom Paine's War. A powerful story of how words , not weapons, helped save the American Revolution. JACK KELLY is an award-winning author and historian. His books include Band of Giants, which received the DAR History Medal, and God Save Benedict Arnold, a Finalist for the New England Book Awards. He has published five novels, and is a New York Foundation for the Arts fellow in Nonfiction Literature. Kelly has appeared on The History Channel, National Public Radio, and C-Span. He lives in New York's Hudson Valley.#speakingofwriterspodcast #jackkelly #americanhistory #tompaineswar #250years

Andrew Fechmeier is a master at hiding. He'd better be—he's spent decades concealing a secret that could get him killed. So when he's diagnosed with a terminal disease, he heads for the local funeral home carrying the blue suit he eventually wants to be buried in. But what no one knows is that Fechmeier secretly tucked something inside, turning the suit into a final, untraceable hiding spot.It's a perfect plan. Until Fetch is brutally murdered by a mysterious killer who will stop at nothing to find the priceless object hidden in the suit.Wasting no time, the cunning but unconventional Roddy LaPointe opens an investigation into Fetch's murder, recruiting help from his friend, the brilliant “Zig” Zigarowski. But it doesn't take long for Zig to discover the real reason Roddy cares so much about this case: Fetch's death is tied to Roddy's mother, who was murdered decades earlier.As the relentless killer closes in, Roddy's twin sister—the enigmatic and volatile Nola Brown—starts investigating for herself, uncovering a sinister plot that reveals their mother's dark history, the true identity of her killer, and the shocking secret behind her death.Don't turn your back on The Viper.Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod and twelve other bestselling thrillers. He also writes nonfiction books like The JFK Conspiracy, and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series.Brad is also the host of Brad Meltzer's Decoded on the History Channel and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag with his show, Brad Meltzer's Lost History.#bradmeltzer #theviper #speakingofwriterspodcast #bradmeltzerslosthistory #podcast #authorpodcast

Enriched by extraordinary first-hand accounts, this is a fascinating history of the dying days of the Third Reich as Stalin sought to consolidate his own empire.In January 1945, the Red Army launched a powerful offensive across the Vistula River to drive the Wehrmacht out of Poland, with the intention of securing a start line for an operation that would ultimately result in the capture of Berlin and the end of the war. But, as Prit Buttar expertly reveals, there were other issues at play. Stalin was determined to push the boundaries of the Soviet Union further west, restoring land lost by the tsars and securing vast industrial and mineral wealth. While negotiations took place between the Allied powers regarding the fate of Poland, the Red Army burst through the German lines, liberating Auschwitz even as the SS drove concentration camp inmates onto frozen roads in a series of death marches.The Wehrmacht staged a desperate fight back with their last major armoured offensive on the Eastern Front. Launched in February 1945 from the German-Polish border, it forced a halt to the Soviet forces on the banks of the Oder before the rush to Berlin. Written by an acknowledged expert on the Eastern Front and packed with first-hand accounts, this is the definitive account of the strategic goals, both military and political, of Stalin, his generals, and their armies as they raced into the Reich, and of the German forces who stood in the way.Prit Buttar studied medicine at Oxford and London before joining the British Army as a doctor. After leaving the army, he worked as a GP. He is extensively involved in medical politics, both at local and national level. An established expert on the Eastern Front in 20th-century military history, his previous books include the critically acclaimed two-volume series on the siege of Leningrad: To Besiege A City (Osprey 2023) and Hero City (Osprey 2024). He now lives in Kirkcudbright in Scotland.#speakingofwriterspodcast #authorpodcast #worldwar2 #germany #thirdreich

On the 75th anniversary of the legendary Battle of Chosin Reservoir, Steve Vogel tells the little-known story of the Army soldiers who gave all during the Korean War's most consequential battles and then were denigrated for their sacrifice. A Task Force Called Faith: The Untold Story of the U.S. Army Soldiers Who Fought for Survival at Chosin Reservoir—and Honor Back Home delivers a fresh perspective on Chosin, where 150,000 Chinese soldiers trapped 20,000 U.S. Marines and soldiers in the frozen mountains of North Korea in November and December of 1950. For seven decades, the Marines who successfully broke out from Chosin have been justly hailed as heroes, but the Army soldiers who fought alongside them have been reviled as cowards. In A Task Force Called Faith, Steve Vogel sets the record straight. What he's learned is the culmination of twenty-five years of digging into the story, first as a reporter for The Washington Post and now as a leading military historian. Steve Vogel is a historian and former military correspondent for the Washington Post. His coverage of the US war in Afghanistan was part of a package of Washington Post stories selected as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2002. He reported on the US war with Iraq in 2003 as an embedded journalist with an Army airborne brigade. Based in Germany from 1989 through 1994 and reporting for the Washington Post and Army Times, he covered the fall of the Berlin Wall and the first Gulf War, as well as military operations in Somalia, Rwanda, and the Balkans. Vogel covered the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon and was the first journalist to get inside the building's most damaged sections. He wrote the definitive history of the building, The Pentagon, and is the author of two other acclaimed histories, Betrayal in Berlin: The True Story of the Cold War's Most Audacious Espionage Operation and Through the Perilous Fight: Six Weeks That Saved the Nation. He lives in Maryland.

A BIOGRAPHY OF A MOUNTAIN: The Making and Meaning of Mt. Rushmore, by Matthew Davis (St. Martin's Press), is a powerful comprehensive history of Mt. Rushmore, written in light of recent political controversies, and a timely retrospective for the monument's 100th anniversary in 2025. Davis has penned an impressive work of narrative nonfiction, combining history with reportage, bringing this complicated and nuanced story of the famous, and infamous, mountain to life.ABOUT THE AUTHORMatthew Davis is the author of When Things Get Dark: A Mongolian Winter's Tale. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and Guernica, among other publications. He has been an Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fellow at New America, a Fellow at The Black Mountain Institute at UNLV, and a Fulbright Fellow to Syria and Jordan. He holds an MFA in nonfiction writing from the University of Iowa and an MA in International Relations from The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Davis lives in Washington DC with his wife, a diplomat, and their two young kids.#mtrushmore #authorpodcast #speakingofwriterspodcast

Rhineland: Hitler's Last Defence, 1944–45 by Anthony Tucker-Jones is a dramatic retelling of the desperate battle of the Rhineland during World War II from the German perspective.The Rhineland was where Adolf Hitler sowed the seeds for the Second World War when he remilitarized it in breach of the Treaty of Versailles in 1936, and by late 1944 the Rhine provided the last major obstacle to the advancing Allied armies that were threatening the Fatherland itself.In this new history of this vital campaign, respected military historian Tucker-Jones describes the race against time as the Germans fought to stave off the inevitable. It was essential that the Germans held the west bank in order to protect the Rhine crossings at Cologne, Bonn, Koblenz and Remagen, but Hitler was intent on counter-attacking in the Ardennes in the winter of 1944 and this meant there was little left to bolster the defences of the Rhine.Rhineland relates the course of this desperate defence, describing the build-up of forces and operational plans before going on to tell the story of the campaign from the point of view of the forces involved, from the ordinary German soldier through to the high command.Anthony Tucker-Jones, a former intelligence officer, is a highly prolific writer and military historian with well over 50 books to his name. His work has also been published in an array of magazines and online. He regularly appears on television and radio commenting on current and historical military matters.#rhineland #worldwar2 #hitler #podcast #authorpodcast #anthonytuckerjones #speakingofwriterspodcast