My conversation with Bruce Holsinger, author of the bestseller/Oprah pick Culpability, in which a family is torn apart in the wake of a self-driving car accident. We discussed, (1) the rampant feeling of fear and malaise related to the ongoing AI culture takeover, (2) writing zeitgeisty novels, and (3) how using chatbots instead of learning to read and write for yourself dangerously cuts one off from the traditions that have shaped human culture for millennia. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.
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Episode 70: Stephen Graham Jones
My interview with horror master Stephen Graham Jones discussing his latest, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter. Our talk covered (1) re-inventing the vampire for the American West, (2) writing for the fans v. writing for the critics, and (3) the ancient and visceral attributes of the horror genre (and how snobs like T.S. Eliot look down on it). Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.
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Episode 69: Phil Melanson
My interview with Phil Melanson re his bestselling debut Florenzer. Topics included: (1) the secret/suppressed details of Leonardo da Vinci’s sex life, (2) the scandalous details surrounding the most expensive painting ever sold (Salvator Mundi), and (3) the mysterious/beguiling/restless nature of da Vinci's genius. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.
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Episode 68: Brendan Slocumb
My convo with Brendan Slocumb re his latest thriller set in the world of classical music, The Dark Maestro. We covered (1) how people can't really hide the art that needs to come out of them; (2) musical prodigies from underprivileged backgrounds (there's more of them out there than you think); and (3) how a personal health scare can make the creation of art even more urgent than before. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.
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Episode 67: Dana Spiotta
My 1:1 with novelist + novel-structure-master Dana Spiotta. We discussed her latest novel, Wayward, as well as (1) midlife crises...the female version; (2) the risks of "challenging" the reader with innovative novel forms, and (3) her techniques for giving humane feedback. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.
The Thoughtful Bro, hosted by Mark Cecil, is a podcast for writers, readers, and anyone interested in a tale well told. Each episode features an author who's recently published a book, and we unpack how and why they wrote it. It's "Inside the Actors Studio"...but for storytellers.
Ireland