Timeless Maverick, with Allison Gilbert
Uncorking a Story
About Allison Gilbert: Allison is an award-winning journalist and author of numerous books including Passed and Present and Parentless Parents. Her forthcoming book, Listen, World!: How the Intrepid Elsie Robinson Became America’s Most-Read Woman, is the inspiring story of a timeless maverick, capturing what it means to take a gamble on self-fulfillment and find freedom along the way. In this episode, Mike and Allison discuss: Allison’s journey from journalist to book author (including her near death on September 11th). Writing as catharsis and therapy. How our...
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Happy Little Accidents, with Katherine Linn Caire
Uncorking a Story
I’ll admit it, I love watching The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. Here’s the thing, though, I can’t draw to save my life, but I am drawn to that show the way some people are drawn to watching fish swim in a tank. He was a talented artist, no doubt, but what I appreciated more than his talent was his calm and serene demeanor which complimented the naturescapes he was fond of painting. One phrase he used often when he may have made unanticipated brush strokes was “Happy little accidents.” And a happy little accident is where author Katherine Linn Caire’s story begins. About Katherine...
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Runaway Train, with Ava Glass
Uncorking a Story
About Ava Glass: Ava Glass is a former civil servant and journalist who once worked closely with spies. She lives in the same town in the south of England as Christopher Steele. But this is, of course, a coincidence. She joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about her career and latest novel, Alias Emma. In this episode, Mike and Ava discuss: Being captured by writing while living on the careening train of life. Your first published book not being your first attempt at writing a book. Surprises in the publishing industry. Worrying too much and living the advice you...
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Seeing in Color, with Annette Libeskind Berkovits
Uncorking a Story
Every now and then I uncork a story that just won’t leave me and Annette Libeskind Berkovits’ story is exactly one of those. While this is a story about a person growing up in the shadow of the Holocaust, I want to be clear, as does Annette, that this is not a tragedy. In fact, it is a story about overcoming trauma and learning how to adapt when the winds of change are blowing in your face. In our rich and emotional conversation centered around her latest memoir, Aftermath: Coming-of-Age on Three Continents, Annette and I cover: Why, when growing up in post-war Poland, Annette felt she...
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Addressing Shame, with Jim Young
Uncorking a Story
About Jim Young: Jim is on a personal mission to help men defeat burnout. He does this through his coaching business where he is known as The Centered Coach, and is also doing it through his new book entitled Expansive Intimacy: How Tough Guys Defeat Burnout. In this episode, Mike and Jim discuss: Staking a claim to who you are. The multiple paths we take in life. Taking a risk to open yourself to vulnerability. Embracing the youness. Key Takeaways: You don’t have to know what you want to do at 18. That’s crazy! You will find yourself as you live your...
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Mindset is a Muscle, with Carrington Smith
Uncorking a Story
About Carrington Smith: Carrington Smith is a single mom, attorney, business owner, and executive search professional. Despite being born with a silver spoon in her mouth, life gave her a hard kick in the tail. She has survived sexual assault, two divorces, piles of debt, abuse, religious mind games, the death of loved ones, and the loss of close friends. In her debut memoir, Blooming: Finding Gifts in the Shit of Life, Carrington combines wit and wisdom to share her journey through the shit, with a positive attitude and a shift of mindset, into a life bursting with joy, opportunity, and...
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Enjoying The Ride, with David Bell
Uncorking a Story
About David Bell: David is the USA Today-bestselling author of twelve novels from Berkley/Penguin, including THE FINALISTS, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, THE REQUEST, and LAYOVER. His work has been translated into numerous foreign languages, included on several bestseller lists, nominated for the Pushcart Prize five times, and, recently his thirteenth novel, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, was nominated for a 2022 Edgar Award. In this episode, Mike and David discuss: Why David blames his parents for becoming a bestselling author. Reading as the best teacher of the craft of writing. ...
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If Not Now, When? with KJ Dell'Antonia
Uncorking a Story
About KJ Dell'Antonia: KJ is the author of The Chicken Sisters, a New York Times bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon book club pick, and a timely, humorous exploration of the same themes she has long focused on in her journalism: the importance of finding joy in our families, the challenge of figuring out what makes us happy and the need to value the people in front of us more than the ones in our phones and laptops, every single time. Her latest novel, In Her Boots, is about the gap between the adult we think we have become, the child our mother will always see, and our horrible fear that our...
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Sophie Irwin: Fortune Hunting
Uncorking a Story
About Sophie Irwin: Sophie has spent years immersed in the study of historical fiction, from a dissertation on why Georgette Heyer helped win World War Two, to time spent in dusty stacks and old tomes doing detailed period research when writing this book. Her love and passion for historical fiction bring a breath of fresh air and a contemporary energy to the genre. Her debut novel is A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting and joining me today to talk about that, and so much more, is author Sophie Irwin. In this episode, Mike and Sophie discuss: Why her writing starts with...
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Going Off Script, with Annabel Monaghan
Uncorking a Story
About Annabel Monaghan: Annabel is the author of two Young Adult novels: A Girl Named Digit, optioned by the Disney Channel, and the sequel, Double Digit. She is also the author of Does This Volvo Make My Butt Look Big?, a selection of laugh-out-loud columns that appeared in the Huffington Post, The Week, and The Rye Record. She joins me today to talk about Nora Goes Off Script, which is her adult debut novel. In this episode, Mike and Annabel discuss: Annabel’s path to publishing What she learned during the writing process How Annabel crafted Nora's character and...
info_outlineWhile running this morning, I heard the actor Mandy Patinkin being interviewed by Marc Maron on his WTF Podcast. In the conversation, he divulges that one of the ways he prays is by saying, “Help me help you in any way I can, in any way imaginable.”
This reminded me of a conversation I had with author Kevin Knight almost two years ago who talked about how running is a spiritual form of exercise for him and how running barefoot makes him feel more connected to the world as well as other people.
Oftentimes, when he runs, Kevin is stopped by neighbors and people passing by because, let’s face it, it’s pretty unique to see someone running on the road barefoot. While this would annoy me to no end, he looks at it as an opportunity to change a moment for that other person in a positive way and I think that is a great sentiment to start the first episode of 2021 on.
Let’s all look for ways to positively impact other people this year. An investment in kindness costs nothing and it will pay dividends almost immediately.
Thanks for listening and Happy New Year!