Podcasts about novelists

Maggie O'Farrell wrote the novel ‘Hamnet' and co-wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation. She has a new book called ‘Land,' about a father and son mapping 19th-century Ireland after the devastation of the Great Famine. Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews the latest by classics scholar Mary Beard.Also, we hear from historian Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor. She has spent much of her career tracing the N-word through slavery, Jim Crow, the civil rights movement, and hip hop. For a long time she kept it a secret that her father was Richard Pryor, the man who put the word at the center of American comedy. "I was a scholar of the N-word — and so, obviously, is he." Her new book is ‘Something We Said: Richard Pryor, a Notorious Word, and Me.' See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Andrea Dunlop created a true crime sensation with her podcast, Nobody Should Believe Me. We discuss her latest season and the difficult problem of medical child abuse.Check out our new True Crime Substack the True Crime Times Get Prosecutors Podcast Merch Join the Gallery on Facebook Follow us on TwitterFollow us on Instagram Check out our website for case resources: Hang out with us on TikTokSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

O'Farrell's 2020 novel ‘Hamnet' was adapted into an award-winning film last year. She co-wrote the screenplay. It's about the grief Shakespeare and his wife Agnes struggle with after their son, Hamnet, dies of the plague, and how that grief leads him to write the play Hamlet. O'Farrell's new novel, ‘Land,' is about the lives of an Irish family living in the aftermath of the Great Famine. Even though she writes historical novels, she tries not to lean too much into history: “I find there's nothing that makes me put a book down faster than if somebody is trying to show me that they've done all their homework,” she says. ‘Land' is in part based on her family. Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Classicist Mary Beard's new book ‘Talking Classics.'See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

“B” is for Bristow, Gwen (1903-1980). Novelist. By 1959 sales of Bristow's books had reached nearly three million copies.

Award-winning novelist Missouri Williams on writing strange and ambitious fiction, treating doubt as a generative force, and why idleness is essential to creative work. We discuss How a destabilising illness and a new language can reshape a writer's whole relationship to words. Why style isn't something you construct so much as a way of seeing you're partly stuck with. The case for drafting without thinking about the end result and keeping the stakes low. What an image you can't stop returning to can reveal about the book you need to write. When idleness and empty, unproductive time become the most essential part of the work. How doubt can function as a generative engine rather than a block. A method for layering instability into a narrator who sounds completely in control. What a chorus can do on the page that a single narrator can't. Why being placed outside your depth, where everything has to be relearned, can sharpen a writer. The difference between doubting your work and doubting your right to do it at all. Resources & Links

In this week's Fraud Friday, Laci is joined by the legendary Paula Poundstone (Science Court, Inside Out) to discuss Susan Meachen, an independent romance novelist who faked her death in 2020 and miraculously resurrected in 2022. Plus, a Florida woman has been arrested after a 4-year-long romance scam that resulted in the defrauding of an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor. Stay Schemin'! (Originally Released 02/13/2023)   Follow on Instagram: Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod Laci Mosley: @divalaci Paula Poundstone: @paulapoundstone   Research by Kaelyn Brandt SOURCES: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/16/health/fake-death-romance-novelist-meachen.html https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/book-author-exposed-fake-suicide-facebook-group-1234655830/?fbclid=IwAR0T1Z8YBSGjkOmKkE2bqww-XVhj2142WqdD97YlxSd0QWLr_eCm8LSaJKc https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/susan-meachen-author-fake-death-b2265223.html?r=21062 https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kelseyweekman/susan-meachen-author-alleged-death-hoax Twitter user @Draggerofliars thread: https://twitter.com/Draggerofliars/status/1610491152091717632 https://abcnews.go.com/US/woman-allegedly-steals-28-million-holocaust-survivor-romance/story?id=96673243 https://www.news4jax.com/consumer/2019/04/30/how-to-avoid-falling-for-fake-online-product-reviews/ Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Scam Goddess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Writer's Voice, Francesca speaks with Omar Zahzah, Palestinian-American scholar, activist, journalist, and author of Terms of Servitude: Zionism, Silicon Valley, and Digital Settler Colonialism in the Palestinian Liberation Struggle. Zahzah offers the first book-length analysis of how major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok, systematically suppress Palestinian content, and how that suppression is structurally connected to the financial, ideological, and political ties between Silicon Valley and the Israeli state.

Novelist and memoirist Courtney Maum has built a career exploring ambition, identity, creativity, and the strange pressures of modern life. Her previous books include 'Touch,' 'Costalegre,' and the publishing-world favorite 'Before and After the Book Deal.'Her new novel, 'Alan Opts Out,' takes sharp aim at consumer culture and suburban status anxiety. The book follows a successful Connecticut advertising executive who suddenly decides to abandon capitalism after a disastrous pitch meeting — moving into his backyard playhouse to live off the land while his wife fights for social acceptance in elite Greenwich circles. It's funny, pointed, and surprisingly tender.

We trace the extraordinary rise and fall of the House of Boleyn. From humble Norfolk tenant farmers, the Boleyns used everything from wool trading to the diplomatic service to climb to the heights of Tudor power.Novelist and historian Philippa Gregory joins us to explain this family's dizzying ascent, and how their path ultimately led to tragedy, betrayal and execution.Philippa's book is 'Boleyn Traitor'.Produced by Mariana Des Forges and Peta Stamper, and edited by Dougal Patmore.We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Writer's Voice: Elizabeth Vartkessian discusses The Undeserving and the human realities behind America's death penalty system. Plus an excerpt from my 2020 interview with Abdul El-Sayed on “the epidemic of insecurity” shaping American life.

In today's episode, we're digging into the archives! You're going to hear from a guest from the first season of Beer with Nat, who I initially recorded with way back in December 2018. Today's guest is drinks educator, author, and founder of the School of Booze, Jane Peyton. We'll start by hearing what Jane has been up to over the past 8 years (wow!), then re-run our initial conversation. You'll learn how a Venn diagram helped Jane to discover her perfect career path after she left behind her previous role as a documentary film producer, what it took to set a Guinness World Record, the aspect of her work she's most proud of, and more.   What stuck with me from this conversation: On establishing a national beer day for the UK: "Beer is Britain's national drink and has been for thousands of years. We do beer really well in this country… We have this history and heritage, we have our amazing pubs, we have real ale, we have a vibrant brewing scene here, but we didn't have a national beer day… so I said, I'll start one!"   Links & things: Jane's business The School of Booze And some of her many accomplishments Her qualifications The Guinness World Record she set Beer Day Britain, which she founded Jane's books Non-fiction Novels   Recording info: December 2018 in London + March 2026 voice note   ––– Subscribe | Follow on Instagram | Email

We're re-releasing this conversation with Marcia Hutchinson, and what a moment to do it. Since we first spoke, Marcia has won the Discover Prize at the British Book Awards 2026 and landed a shortlist spot for the Women's Prize for Fiction all for her debut novel, The Mercy Step. Oh, and The Observer called her one of the debut novelists to watch in 2025. Not bad, Marcia. Not bad at all.In this conversation, we go back to where it all began, Marcia's journey from a challenging childhood in Bradford to becoming one of the most exciting new voices in British fiction. We talk about what success really means when you've spent your life running away from things rather than running towards them, and how she's learning to slow down and actually celebrate the extraordinary thing she's achieved.The Mercy Step follows Mercy a precocious, imaginative young girl born into a chaotic household in Bradford in December 1962. Her mother is devoted to the Church, her father's temper rules the house, and Mercy finds her comfort in books, her imagination, and her beloved toy Dolly. It's a story about quiet rebellion, survival, and the fierce desire to be seen and heard.This is a conversation about resilience, creativity, and what happens when you finally let yourself believe you're allowed to win.Buy The Mercy StepFollow Marcia HutchinsonPre- Order 'The Shadow Carver' PbBuy me a cup of coffee ☕️ | Buy books by my guestsFollow Me Bluesky | Substack | Instagram | Facebook | Threads Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Growing Readers Podcast, host Bianca Schulze sits down with award-winning author and illustrator Philip C. Stead to talk about A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic: Or, Like Lightning in an Umbrella Storm, his uproarious debut middle grade novel from Neal Porter Books.Best known as the Caldecott Medal–honored creator behind the Amos McGee books, Philip shares what it felt like to step into the novelist's chair and why middle grade has always been the genre closest to his heart. He traces his love of books like The Phantom Tollbooth, The Westing Game, and Roald Dahl, and pulls back the curtain on his writing process—200 words a day, carved in stone—and the feedback that led him to tell Bernadette's story out of order.Whether you're a parent hunting for funny middle grade books for kids 9–12, an educator drawn to stories that trust young readers, or a writer curious about how a picture book creator builds his first novel, this episode is a celebration of heart, humor, and why every choice matters.Read the transcript on The Children's Book Review (coming soon).Highlights:From Picture Books to Middle Grade: Why Philip felt like an "imposter" stepping into the novelist's chair—and why middle grade has always been his first love as a readerThe Books That Made Him a Reader: How Roald Dahl, Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth, and Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game shaped his sense of what a book can do200 Words a Day: Philip's deceptively simple writing practice and how he treated each word as if "carved in stone"The Out-of-Order Revelation: How one friend's honest feedback unlocked the book's unusual structure—and why he never looked backA Castle on 24 Goats: Where Bernadette, Adelbert the forgetful magician, and a Boat That Does Not Grant Wishes actually came from24 Chapters, 24 Morals: Why Philip gave himself this arbitrary boundary, and the throwaway phrase that became his favorite of them allHeart Over Cleverness: The guiding principle that kept the book from feeling "cute but dead"The Influence Nobody Knows: The lesser-known Norton Juster book Philip discovered at 19 that became the most important influence of his careerNotable Quotes:"A thing stored in the brain is never as important as a thing stored in the heart." — from A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic"Cleverness belongs mostly to the maker and really can't belong much to the person experiencing the art. But heart really can." — Philip C. Stead"If you're a writer and you're listening to this, just figure out how you write and how you do it. How do you put one word in front of another, in front of another? And whatever that answer is, that's the right way to do it." — Philip C. SteadBooks Mentioned:A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic: Or, Like Lightning in an Umbrella Storm by Philip C. Stead: Amazon or Bookshop.orgA Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead and Erin Stead: Amazon or Bookshop.orgThe Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster: Amazon and Bookshop.orgAlberic the Wise, and Other Journeys by Norton Juster: Amazon and Bookshop.orgThe Westing Game by Ellen Raskin: Amazon and Bookshop.orgA Barrel of Laughs, A Vale of Tears by Jules Feiffer: Amazon and Bookshop.orgSylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig: Amazon and Bookshop.orgSwimmy by Leo Lionni: Amazon and Bookshop.orgThe Twits by Roald Dahl: Amazon and Bookshop.orgThe Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo: Amazon and Bookshop.orgAbout Philip C. Stead: Award-winning author and illustrator of picture books, including the Caldecott Medal–winning A Sick Day for Amos McGee and A Home for Bird. A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic is his debut middle grade novel. He lives and works in Michigan. Visit him here: https://www.numberfivebus.com/Credits: Host: Bianca Schulze | Guest: Philip C. Stead | Audio Editor: Kelly Rink | Producer: Bianca SchulzeEpisode Sponsor: https://www.rickwilliamsbooks.com/

John Lanchester, whose latest novel is “Look What You Made Me Do,” in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded May 6, 2026 via computer. John Lanchester is the author of five previous novels, one collection of stories,Reality and Other Stories, published in 2020, and four works of non-fiction. He's recently written essays for the London Review of Books and the Guardian on such issues as generation divides and the push toward A.I. His latest novel, Look What You Made Me Do hones in on the generation divide and can be seen as a satire and as a psychological thriller of sorts involving a woman who discovers, shortly after her husband's death, that their most intimate conversations are being heard in a new hit Netflix series that everyone is talking about. John Lanchester's previous novel, The Wall, concerns a future in which Britain has built a wall around itself in order to keep immigrants from arriving. It's a dystopia of a world overrun by the oceans and climate disaster. You can find the interview about that book here.    The post John Lanchester, Novelist & Essayist, “Look What You Made Me Do,” 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

In the spotlight is Jayne Ann Krentz, who has written more than 100 novels under three different pen names. Jayne Ann Krentz writes contemporary romantic/suspense. She uses the pseudonym Amanda Quick for her novels of historical romantic/suspense. And Jayne Castle (her birth name) is reserved these days for her stories of futuristic/paranormal suspense/romance. And she's out with a new novel titled “Enter the Nightmare,” written as Jayne Castle.  She is also full of writing advice for published and aspiring novelists.  Learn more about Jayne Ann Krentz here: https://jayneannkrentz.com  Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no   Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com 

Host Diana Korte speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jane Smiley, author of 34 books. Her newest title, “LIDIE. The Further Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton,” follows two young women fleeing a divided America in 1857.  When Lidie's niece Annie becomes an actress at the local theater in Quincy IL, and is offered an opportunity to perform in England, she decides to run away. But travel is dangerous for a young, unmarried woman, so Lidie, armed with her pistol and her wit, goes with her.      

This week on Writer's Voice: Tim Weed explores psychedelics, Mesoamerican mythology, and consciousness in The Gatepost. Farah Naz Rishi talks grief, siblings, humor, and a runaway cockatoo in The Flightless Birds of New Hope.

Vermont has no shortage of artists creating new works. Author Tim Weed of Putney has a new novel set in Vermont called The Gatepost that blends modern science and ancient cosmology. Photographer Nathan Larson of Windsor packed up his entire life into a van and hit the road. A new book of poetry and photographs captures his adventures. And filmmaker Robbie Leppzer's latest work is a documentary about the founder of Bread and Puppet Theater.Broadcast live on Wednesday May 13, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

5/11/26 ( Co-Host Megan Zinn) Safe Passage Exec Dir Marianne Winter & author Patricia Lee Lewis: “Story Telling as Healing, the event at 33 Hawley.” Novelist Joanna Margaret: “The Daughters” –a thriller, a preview of her Odyssey Bookshop reading this Wednesday. Jarret Krozoska: RISE Fest—an amazing literary and art event of, by and for young people at Northampton HS. Corrine Coryat, candidate for the Democratic nomination for the First Franklin District.

Michael Cunningham in the KPFA studios, 2010. Photo: Richard Wolinsky. Michael Cunningham in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded while on the book tour for “Specimen Days,” recorded in the KPFA studios, June 24, 2005. Michael Cunningham is a celebrated author of eight novels, along with several short stories, and two produced screenplays to date. His novel The Hours, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1999, was adapted into an award winning film in 2003. As with several interviews recorded during the presidency of George W. Bush, talk turned to the rise of fascism in America and the dangers of corporatism and rampant Capitalism. His novel Nightfall came out in 2010, followed by The Snow Queen in 2014 and Day in 2023. He was also a part of the writers room for the first season of the TV series Masters of Sex and the Netflix season of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City.The film discussed in the interview, “Good Grief” starring Julia Roberts, was never made. This interview comes from the Bookwaves archives and has never before been posted or aired in its entirety and is the first of three Bookwaves conversations. The post Michael Cunningham, Pulitzer Prize Winning Novelist discussing “The Hours” & “Specimen Days,” 2005 appeared first on KPFA.

Like the main character in his Booker Prize-winning novel 'Shuggie Bain,' writer Douglas Stuart grew up in Glasgow, working class, queer, and with a mother addicted to alcohol. His first career was in fashion, designing underwear for Calvin Klein. “Sometimes when I'm in an audience now and I feel a little nervous, I have a joke to myself and think, how many people in this audience have worn the underwear that you designed?” He spoke with Terry Gross about his new novel, ‘John of John.'Later, Richard Gadd, creator and star of the Netflix show ‘Baby Reindeer' talks with Tonya Mosley about his new series, ‘Half Man.' It's about two boys who become brothers when their mothers fall in love. They spend the next 30 years trying to survive each other.David Bianculli reviews the latest adaptation of ‘Lord of the Flies.'See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Like the main character in his Booker Prize-winning novel 'Shuggie Bain,' writer Douglas Stuart grew up in Glasgow, working class, queer, and with a mother addicted to alcohol. His first career was in fashion, designing underwear for Calvin Klein. “Sometimes when I'm in an audience now and I feel a little nervous, I have a joke to myself and think, how many people in this audience have worn the underwear that you designed?” He spoke with Terry Gross about his new novel, ‘John of John.'Later, Richard Gadd, creator and star of the Netflix show ‘Baby Reindeer' talks with Tonya Mosley about his new series, ‘Half Man.' It's about two boys who become brothers when their mothers fall in love. They spend the next 30 years trying to survive each other.David Bianculli reviews the latest adaptation of ‘Lord of the Flies.'See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Motherland spin-off Amandaland is back for a second series, starring Lucy Punch as Amanda and Joanna Lumley as her frosty mum Felicity. Nuala McGovern talks to the show's award-winning writer and co-creator Holly Walsh about what's in store for the SoHa crew second time around, as Amanda navigates life as a single mum of teenagers, juggling online influencing and her ‘co-lab' with her dreams of moving up in the world. A review into the death of 21‑year‑old showjumper Katie Simpson has found 'institutional misogyny' and 'systemic failures' within the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The review, commissioned by the Department of Justice and released yesterday, found that not one officer seriously considered abuse or coercive control during the initial investigation. Katie died six days after being admitted to hospital in in 2020 and her death was initially treated as suicide. The PSNI has acknowledged the review and apologised to Katie's family. Nuala is joined by Allison Morris, Crime Correspondent at the Belfast Telegraph who's been following the case.What if the next five minutes were your last? That's the question the American born author Ilona Bannister wants us to answer in her latest novel Five. Set on a train station platform we meet five strangers: a child, a mother, a businessman, an old woman and a gambler. Unbeknownst to them they are facing a countdown where in just five minutes one of them will die. Ilona tells Nuala what drew her to this idea. A case in Denmark is prompting public debate and urgent questions about child protection practices and the treatment of Greenlandic people. The case centres on a Greenlandic mother, Keira Alexandra Kronvold, whose newborn daughter was taken into care just two hours after birth in 2024, following the use of controversial psychometric assessments known as FKU tests. Critics say these tests, conducted in Danish and based on culturally specific assumptions, have disproportionately led to Greenlandic children being removed from their families. Her case has now reached the Danish high court, with a decision due imminently, and now the United Nations has intervened. Joining Nuala to discuss are Miranda Bryant, the Guardian's Nordic correspondent, and Tillie Martinussen, a former MP in Greenland from the Cooperation Party.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

Caroline Bicks joins Writer's Voice to talk about Monsters in the Archives, her fascinating exploration of Stephen King's private papers, creative process, and the deep emotional fears beneath his horror fiction. Then Marie Adelmann discusses Adjunct, her darkly funny and painfully real novel about precarious academic labor, student debt, and the exploitation built into today's university system. Two compelling conversations about fear, power, and survival in contemporary American life.

The novelist, essayist, and short-story writer George Saunders—widely celebrated for his novel Lincoln in the Bardo (2017), which won the Man Booker Prize, and book of short stories Tenth of December (2013)—has made it his mission to “de-dullify” the world through his clear-eyed, empathic, often-puckish prose. There's an unwavering spirit of generosity embedded in the way Saunders tells stories and teaches his craft that ensures his readers and students alike stay along for the ride. Saunders's curiosity about the afterlife, a recurring motif in his writing, rises to the fore in his latest novel, Vigil, which follows a pair of ghostly figures as they visit the deathbed of a prideful, climate-change-denying Texas oil tycoon. On this episode, he shares how practicing meditation has shifted his approach to writing and his outlook on life, the underlying importance of humor in his work, and why to be a good storyteller is akin to being a good host.  Special thanks to our Season 13 presenting partner, Van Cleef & Arpels. Show notes: George Saunders [04:34] Vigil (2026) [04:34] Lincoln in the Bardo (2018) [19:18] Master and Man and Other Stories (1895) [19:18] Tolstoy [27:41] CivilWarLand in Bad Decline (1996) [30:22] Esther Forbes [30:22] Johnny Tremain (1943) [35:03] John Steinbeck [35:03] The Grapes of Wrath (1939) [36:58] Kurt Vonnegut [36:58] Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) [42:13] Terry Eagleton [42:30] Mary Karr [42:43] Jack Handey [47:19] Jimi Hendrix [53:13] Aldous Huxley [56:11] Tobias Wolff [59:22] A Swim in a Pond in the Rain (2021)

Erica Wagner has written Wash, a historical novel about Washington Roebling, the man who build the Brooklyn Bridge. Show notes: Erica Wagner Wash Daniel Kehlmann: The Director Learn more about Scrivener, and check out the ebook Take Control of Scrivener. If you like the podcast, please follow it on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. Leave a rating or review, and tell your friends. And check out past episodes of Write Now with Scrivener.

In this episode I compare and contrast the Culture's Contact organization with the Federation from Star Trek. Specifically, I look at how Contact approaches other, less advanced civilizations and compare that to the Prime Directive. Spoiler: It's almost completely the opposite approach. I'll tell you why, as we explore this topic together.LinksCheck out my novel, Critical Balance.Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.Subscribe via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.Support the show on Patreon.Donate to the show.Follow me on Bluesky.Join my Discord server.Email me.Call My Voicemail: 951-465-5391Check out my YouTube channel.Join my Book Club, now on Discord.I'm looking for alpha & beta readers for my next novel.A Few Notes on the Culture by Iain M. BanksStart The Culture series with Excession.

In the spotlight is famed British novelist Graham Greene, as remembered by novelist Thomas Waugh, who also writes historical novels under the name Richard Foreman, who has worked as a literary consultant and publicist to a number of bestselling authors, including William Dalrymple, Simon Sebag Montefiore and Kate Williams. In 2012 he co-founded Endeavour Press, a U.K.-based independent digital publishers. He is also a bestselling historical novelist and the director of the London History Festival. He lives in London. Learn more about Graham Greene here: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Graham-Greene Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com

Like a number of his characters, Booker Prize-winning novelist Douglas Stuart grew up working class and queer in Glasgow. He went on to have a career in fashion, which plays into his latest novel, John of John. “It's hard to tell people about grief. It's hard to talk to people about poverty... and so I'd got very used to the silence in my own life, and my writing is the only thing that allows me to connect with myself,” Stuart told Terry Gross. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Like a number of his characters, Booker Prize-winning novelist Douglas Stuart grew up working class and queer in Glasgow. He went on to have a career in fashion, which plays into his latest novel, John of John. “It's hard to tell people about grief. It's hard to talk to people about poverty... and so I'd got very used to the silence in my own life, and my writing is the only thing that allows me to connect with myself,” Stuart told Terry Gross. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Tom McGuane invited me to come to Florida and hang out for a few days early in the Tarpon season.  Eventually, this conversation evolved. In this episode of Fin And Fire With Jeff Mishler I get to ask the questions I've always wanted to ask, and he shares sincerely his thoughts on inspiration, technique, processes and yes, angling. 

In this week's “Throwback Thursday” segment, we hear from Kyla Gardner in Melbourne, Australia. She's created passive income from a series of self-published nonfiction books—and now she's jumping into fiction.Side Hustle School features a new episode EVERY DAY, featuring detailed case studies of people who earn extra money without quitting their job. This year, the show includes free guided lessons and listener Q&A several days each week.Show notes: SideHustleSchool.comEmail: team@sidehustleschool.comBe on the show: SideHustleSchool.com/questionsConnect on Instagram: @193countriesVisit Chris's main site: ChrisGuillebeau.comRead A Year of Mental Health: yearofmentalhealth.comIf you're enjoying the show, please pass it along! It's free and has been published every single day since January 1, 2017. We're also very grateful for your five-star ratings—it shows that people are listening and looking forward to new episodes.

Today you'll discover insight into how writing a book can instigate insight into your own reinvention, especially when it's about midlife women. My guest today is Jennifer Oko. Jennifer Oko is the author of four books of fiction and nonfiction. Her memoir Lying Together: My Russian Affair was twice named an "Editor's Choice" by The New York Times Book Review. Her novels include Gloss, a satire of morning television hailed as "a rare treat" by The Chicago Tribune; Head Case, a comic mystery about psycho-pharmaceutical trafficking. Learn more: https://suzyrosenstein.com/podcast/ep-457-rewriting-the-story-a-novelists-midlife-reinvention-with-jennifer-oko/

This week's Writer's Voice: Julia Cooke discusses Starry and Restless, her portrait of Rebecca West, Martha Gellhorn, and Emily Hahn, women whose adventurous lives helped transform modern journalism. And Sophie Pavelle talks about To Have or To Hold, a deeply engaging exploration of symbiosis and the astonishing partnerships that make life possible.

Kate Clark Stone's fiction features strong and vulnerable heroines, a lot of heart, and endless love for flyover states. Kate attended her first Indianapolis 500 at six years old and wrote her first book at eleven. A former attorney, Kate relishes watching fast cars, swimming and paddling sports, the Oxford comma, and traveling here/there/everywhere.  Kate lives in southeastern Tennessee with her husband, children, and two very good dogs. While Kate has lived in the South for decades, she is and will forever be a Hoosier at heart.  Her debut novel is called THE LAST SUNDAY IN MAY.  Learn more at kateclarkstone.com Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

It's been a while since the last episode, so I bring you up to speed on what's going in my life. I'm moving, and it sucks. I'm living in an Airbnb, which also sucks. But good news, I finished my novel, Citizen Zero. I talk a bit about how some genres, like sci-fi and fantasy, are more about the story's setting, while other genres, like thrillers, mysteries, and horror, are more about the story's plot. As a reader and a writer, I especially like stories that combine a “setting” genre with a “plot” genre.LinksCheck out my novel, Critical Balance.Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.Subscribe via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.Support the show on Patreon.Donate to the show.Follow me on Bluesky.Join my Discord server.Email me.Call My Voicemail: 951-465-5391Check out my YouTube channel.Join my Book Club, now on Discord.I'm looking for alpha & beta readers for my next novel.A Few Notes on the Culture by Iain M. BanksStart The Culture series with Excession.Check out episode 98 for my discussion of Martha Wells's lecture on AI characters in stories.

John Maytham speaks to Tayari Jones, acclaimed novelist and author of The Kin, about her inspiration behind the book. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel Defoe wasn't just a novelist — he helped forge Britain itselfDaniel Defoe is remembered as the author of Robinson Crusoe — but that legacy hides a far more dangerous, politically explosive truth. Long before his novels reshaped literature, Defoe was shaping nations.In this episode of History Rage, Paul Bavill is joined by historian Marc Mierowsky, Fellow and Lecturer in English at the University of Melbourne, to rage against the idea that Defoe was “just” a novelist. Instead, we uncover Defoe as a government propagandist, intelligence agent, and covert operator, working at the very heart of early British state power.Marc reveals how Defoe:Operated as a political fixer and spy for Robert HarleyBuilt one of Britain's earliest nationwide intelligence and propaganda networksInfiltrated Scottish politics during the crisis years before the 1707 Act of UnionManipulated religious divisions, rebellion, and public opinionHelped sabotage organised resistance to the Union of England and ScotlandThis is a story of dirty tricks, espionage, pamphlet warfare, and political manipulation, all carried out by a man later celebrated as a literary pioneer. It also raises uncomfortable questions about state power, surveillance, and whether the foundations of modern Britain were laid through persuasion — or coercion.If you think you know Daniel Defoe, this episode will leave you furious, fascinated, and questioning everything.About the guestMarc Mierowsky is Fellow and Lecturer in English at the University of Melbourne, specialising in Restoration and early eighteenth-century literature, politics, and espionage. His research focuses on Daniel Defoe's secret service work, propaganda networks, and the intelligence machinery behind the Anglo-Scottish Union.Marc Mierowsky – links & contactBook: A Spy Amongst Us: Daniel Defoe's Secret Service and the Plot to End Scottish IndependencePublisher page / book retailers: Available via major academic and online booksellersAffiliation: University of MelbourneWhy this episode mattersDefoe's story forces us to confront an uncomfortable truth: the modern British state was built using surveillance, propaganda, and manipulation of public opinion. The debates around sovereignty, identity, and union that rage today were already burning in the early 1700s — and Defoe was pouring fuel on the fire.This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in:British historyScottish independence and the Act of UnionEarly modern espionageThe hidden political origins of the novelPropaganda, intelligence, and state powerAbout History RageHistory Rage is the podcast that smashes historical myths and takes cherished assumptions out back and wrecks them. Hosted by Paul Bavill, each episode gives expert historians space to rage about the misconceptions they want destroyed.Follow & contact History RageWebsite: https://historyrage.comTwitter / X: @HistoryRageBluesky: historyrage.bsky.socialEmail: historyragepod@gmail.comSupport the podcastIf you love fearless history without the myths:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/historyrageApple Subscriptions: Ad-free listening from £3 per month£5 tier: Bonus content and the legendary History Rage mugSupporting the podcast keeps independent, expert-led history alive — and angry.Stay angry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Debut novelist Debra Curtis on teaching herself to write by copying poems by hand as a dyslexic child, using contemporary novels as craft manuals to learn structure, meeting the Dalai Lama, the importance of radical forgiveness & publishing her first novel in her sixties after years of rejection.  You'll learn: Why copying poems by hand into a composition notebook secretly teaches a dyslexic child to write. The hospital-bed moment with her dying father that became a three-decade family motto. A vision at a marina, a prescription bottle, and the woman who became her protagonist. What hundreds of rejections actually teach you about persistence. Using contemporary novels as instructional guides while drafting your own. How a psychic's prophecy and a chance encounter in Paris both pointed toward the same agent. Finding your future agent's name in the acknowledgments of a book you've never read. The big editorial note that hurts to hear, and why listening anyway is still the right call. Radical forgiveness as the emotional heart of a novel. The writing ritual built around a sleep mask, noise-cancelling headphones, and a sound machine. Resources & Links:

For Earth Day on Writer's Voice, Bill McKibben on why solar may be arriving faster than we realize. Then, Anne Fadiman on frogs, pronouns, and the hidden meanings inside ordinary things.

Most writers focus on the book in front of them — but what does it actually take to build a novelist career that lasts? In this episode, I sit down with Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author Camille Pagán to talk about the long game of fiction writing: what it looks like, what gets in the way, and how to keep going when the path gets hard.Camille shares the body-of-work strategy that transformed her career after a rocky start, why operating from your "Plan B" quietly undermines your writing goals, how to build belief before you have evidence of your own success, and what patterns she sees most often in authors who struggle to sustain a career versus those who don't. She also talks about her author coaching membership and what emerging and published novelists alike need to hear about the publishing industry right now.Whether you're drafting your first novel, navigating life after a debut, or wondering if a long-term writing career is even possible for you — this episode will give you the perspective shift and practical grounding you need.

“S” is for Sinclair, Bennie Lee (1939-2000). Novelist, poet.

Director Charlotte Regan on her new BBC thriller, MintHave heterosexual male novelists stopped writing sex scenes? We discuss with writer Luke Kennard, author of Black Bag, and editor of the Erotic Review Lucy Roeber.Poet Laureate Simon Armitage plays live in studio with his band L.Y.R.Video game writer and critic Cara Ellison joins us to run through the highlights from the recent BAFTA Games Awards.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Harry Graham

In the spotlight is Diane Winston, author of the recent report headlined “From bodice rippers to romantasy, romance novels are dominating the book market — and rewriting women's sexual power.” She is also a professor at the USCAnnenberg School of Communication and Journalism.  Winston has authored and edited numerous books on the connection between religion, media, American history and politics. She has written for publications such as the Raleigh News and Observer, Dallas Times Herald and the Baltimore Sun, during which time she was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize three times. Her contributions have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Alta, and others.   You can read Diane Winston's “boddice rippers” article about romance novels — the basis for this episode of the podcast — here: https://theconversation.com/from-bodice-rippers-to-romantasy-romance-novels-are-dominating-the-book-market-and-rewriting-womens-sexual-power-273765  Learn more about Diane Winston here: https://annenberg.usc.edu/faculty/diane-winston  Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no   Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com 

In this episode of FOMO Sapiens, Patrick sits down with Liz Tran, founder of Inner Genius and author of AQ: A New Kind of Intelligence for a World That's Always Changing, to explore a simple but urgent idea: in a world defined by constant disruption, IQ and EQ are no longer enough. What we need now is AQ, the Agility Quotient, which Liz defines as your capacity to handle change, disappointment, and uncertainty. Drawing on a decade of work with over 200 founders and executives, Liz breaks down the four AQ archetypes — the Astronaut, the Firefighter, the Neurosurgeon, and the Novelist — and explains what each one looks like at its best and worst. The conversation gets into how AI is leveling the IQ playing field, why the most impressive résumés can actually signal lower AQ, and how the real divide in today's world isn't political or economic — it's between the people who are undone by change and the people who know how to use it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I sit down with John David, a debut novelist whose first book The Bystander is already making waves in the thriller world. John shares what his career looked like long before fiction: spending decades in public relations, crisis communications, and ghostwriting and how writing has always been a thread running through his life.We talk about what it really takes to write a novel (spoiler: it's a lot of words and a lot of persistence), and how one real-life news story sparked the idea for his book. John walks us through his unique writing process, the challenges of staying motivated, and why pushing through self-doubt is one of the most important things a writer can do.He also gives an honest look at the publishing world—what it's like to face rejection, how hard it can be to get your work seen, and why he believes the industry is due for change. Whether you're a reader, an aspiring writer, or just someone who loves hearing how people step into something new, this conversation is full of insight and encouragement.To connect with John, visit https://byjohndavid.substack.com/Want to be a guest on Life Stories Podcast? Send Shara Goswick a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/lifestoriespodcast

A renewed Women's Health Strategy for England has been published today. The first Women's Health Strategy came out in July 2022 under the Conservative government, with this ‘refresh' being put forward as a ‘chance to travel further and faster'. However with over half a million women still waiting for gynaecological care in England and many women saying they don't feel listened to, why has there been so little progress? Nuala McGovern discusses the renewed strategy with the Health Secretary Wes Streeting. Author Elizabeth Arnott talks to Nuala about her novel, The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives, which investigates the impact of violent crime, not only on its victims, but also on the people closest to the criminals. The story follows Beverley, Elsie and Margot, who all discovered they were married to serial killers too late to save the women they murdered. Set in 1960s California, in an era where the understanding of the “serial killer” phenomenon was in its infancy, these women find themselves in a unique position to dig into the psychology of their husbands and band together, using their knowledge of dangerous men, to track down other violent predators. Scottish comedian Susie McCabe is a stalwart of the BBC comedy scene - from The News Quiz and Breaking the News, to Just a Minute and Have I Got News For You. It was in 2024, while touring, that she had a heart-attack – she was only in her mid-forties at the time. It made her not only take a long hard look at her life, but it also inspired her latest show, Best Behaviour. Susie joins Nuala to discuss making comedy gold out of life's trials and tribulations. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

The novelist, John David Bethel, is appearing for the second time on StoryBeat. David's the author of award-winning political and psychological thrillers, including Mapping the Night and Holding Back the Dark. His short fiction has been published in popular consumer magazines, and his essays and opinion editorials have been published in respected political journals.   David spent 35 years in politics and government. He served in the Federal Senior Executive Service as Senior Adviser/Director of Speechwriting for the Secretaries of Transportation, Commerce, and Education; Editorial Director for the U.S. Small Business Administration; and Assistant Administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Communications and Citizen Services. David also worked as a press secretary/speechwriter to Members of Congress. During our first conversation, we discussed Mapping Night. Recently, I read 2 of David's newest books, Squinting at Shadows and Thy Brother's Keeper, both of which are in the thriller mold of David's earlier novels They are intense, page-turning mysteries that kept me wondering what would happen next.  If you like reading thrillers, I highly urge you to check out David's books.

Tim Blake Nelson: green tea Tim names the best actor of his generation (and the certain things that this actor requires of everyone on set), shares thoughts on AI and the future of film, describes the difference between films that lead with art or with entertainment, reveals how the generosity of Robin Williams touched his family, explains why there can never be another Picasso, and lists the best superhero movies ever made.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Harrison Ford spoke with Terry Gross about his role in the Apple TV series ‘Shrinking,' as a therapist who has Parkinson's Disease. He also talks about how he landed the role of Han Solo in ‘Star Wars.'Also, we'll hear from British novelist Francis Spufford. His new book, ‘Nonesuch,' follows a young woman in WWII London trying to survive the Blitz, navigate romance, and fight time-traveling fascists. He spoke with Executive Producer Sam Briger.Critic David Bianculli reviews the new film ‘Peaky Blinders,' which is a follow up to the hit British TV series starring Cillian Murphy. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy