The Thoughtful Bro

My talk with Silver Linings Playbook author Matthew Quick, discussing his poignant memoir, Dad, Love, Me.
We covered, (1) his effort to end the cycle of generational abuse by caring for his father who now has dementia, (2) how trauma served as both a blessing and a curse, fueling a creative outpouring that carried Matthew to global fame, but also driving him to alcoholism, and (3) how true forgiveness is not a one-and-done conversation, but a lifelong, daily practice. 
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.

My interview with Caroline Kepnes, creator of the You series, on her latest Joe Goldberg book, You First.
We discussed (1) how she created a voice that's so electric and hypnotic, (2) what Joe Goldberg understands about people that allows him to manipulate them so well, and (3) the one thing that makes a character someone you root for, no matter how despicable they may be.
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.

My talk with my good friend Kimberly Hensle Lowrance on her debut novel What Remains Of You.
We covered: (1) the architecture of planting a "phat hook" in the first few pages to snag a reader good; (2) why she didn't give up on the nine-year road to getting her first book released; and (3) what happens when an ardent and outspoken supporter of indie bookstores gets her debut novel published by Amazon.
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.

My interview with Dane Bahr on his prohibition era thriller, one part David Mamet, one part Cormac McCarthy, The Dead Ringer.
We discussed: (1) being a literary guy among diesel mechanics; (2) how he's activated to the highest expression by the darkest underbellies and hardest truths; and (3) being a typewriter guy in the age of the Interwebs.
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.

My one-on-one with Courtney Maum, re her latest novel Alan Opts Out.
We covered: (1) The longing for the better aspects of the pandemic, when the whole world, for one brief moment, opted out, (2) her lifelong struggles with plot, and (3) the most important rule for a writer: don't be ruled by envy.
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.