Episode 68: Brendan Slocumb
The Thoughtful Bro
My convo with re his latest thriller set in the world of classical music, . 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 . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
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Episode 67: Dana Spiotta
The Thoughtful Bro
My 1:1 with novelist + novel-structure-master . We discussed her latest novel, , 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 . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
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Episode 66: David Baldacci
The Thoughtful Bro
My interview with David Baldacci discussing his career selling over 150 million books, his , and his latest novel, . We covered (1) the one skill he wishes he had, that some other writers do with ease, (2) how he is, in my estimation, the Tom Cruise of literature (you'll have to listen to the ep to find out how), and (3) the *one quality* that all his books have in common, and which explains the wild popularity of his stories. Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
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Episode 65: Adam Ross
The Thoughtful Bro
My *everything* talk with Adam Ross, discussing his hit literary novel Playworld. Along with *everything* (we covered a lot of ground) we also chatted about (1) Safetyism v. Adventure in raising kids today, (2) the origin and theory behind his beautifully warm opening paragraph, and (3) his love/hate relationship with being compared to that other writer of precocious New York City kids, J.D. Salinger. Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
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Episode 64: Alexander Sammartino
The Thoughtful Bro
My interview with debut author , on his novel . We discussed: (1) the search for transcendence and "leaving your body" via literature; (2) father & son stories; and (3) unchecked Samuel Beckett fandom. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
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Episode 63: Colum McCann
The Thoughtful Bro
My talk with National Book Award-winner , discussing his latest novel, . We explored, (1) the underwater garden hose-sized tubes that (rather vulnerably) carry all the world's information; (2) how writers ought to feel in the age of AI writing (hint: undaunted!); and (3) how the current age of political strife will likely generate powerful new art. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
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Episode 62: Ron Currie
The Thoughtful Bro
My fresh convo on with Ron Currie re his latest novel, the family crime saga, . We discussed: (1) creating existentialist heroes, (2) eats-nails-for-breakfast French Canadian female mobsters, and (3) how leading an authentic life as the highest virtue in a world of fading meaning. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
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Episode 61: Callan Wink
The Thoughtful Bro
Unpacking storytelling with , who's out with a new novel, . Topics: (1) reinventing the heist novel, (2) life in the *real* Yellowstone (as opposed to Kevin Costner’s TV version) and (3) the pros and cons of living the writers’ life far from the Brooklyn literary/publishing scene. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
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Episode 60: Eric Puchner
The Thoughtful Bro
My chat with about his incredible Oprah's Book Club pick . We discussed (1) writing the "good old fashioned" novel, (2) writing the "big little" emotional moment on which stories often turn, and (3) whether you should write as if everyone you know is dead. Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
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Episode 59: Scott Turow
The Thoughtful Bro
My interview with author Scott Turow, on his latest novel, . Topics included, (1) The creative freedom that comes when authors realize they can't write like their heroes; (2) the advice Scott gave to Gillian Flynn, when she was on the rocket ship to literary fame, and (3) as a former President of the Authors Guild, his take on the threat AI poses to writers. Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
info_outlineWith National Book Award winner M.T. Anderson, on his debut novel for adults, Nicked.
We discussed: (1) the blurry boundary between YA/adult fiction, (2) the identity of his true intended audience, and (3) how great titles begin to tell the tale before you turn the first page. He also reads aloud the opening paragraph of the story, one of the finest in recent memory.
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.