Episode 81: Patrick Ryan
The Thoughtful Bro
My chat with "overnight success" and editor-in-chief , who published his debut novel for adults, , at 60 years old, and it became the runaway hit of last year. We discussed (1) how novels have the unique ability to present audiences with the grand sweep of time; (2) what was different about Buckeye from the six or seven novels he wrote before it that didn't get published; and (3) his long, twisty journey to literary stardom late in life, a tale full of gratitude and fortitude, one that gives nourishment and hope to any aspiring artist. Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The...
info_outline
Episode 80: Jenna Blum
The Thoughtful Bro
My fab interview with the legendary , who's written one of the most purely entertaining books I've read in ages, . I was there for the whole life cycle of this book, from the moment she thought of it, all the way to launch. We discussed: (1) making a mid-career genre pivot, (2) the keys to a good sex scene, and (3) what it means to be writing popcorn-munching, fun-forward fare in times of turmoil. Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
info_outline
Episode 79: Ottessa Moshfegh
The Thoughtful Bro
My galvanizing 1:1 with one of the coolest writers out there, . We discussed: (1) what happens when an artist is open about their world-sized ambitions; (2) the connection between the artist and the "god" (for lack of a better word) of creativity; and (3) how to create the kind of art that Mick Jagger himself recommends: the kind that "achieves madness." Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
info_outline
Episode 78: Julian Brave NoiseCat
The Thoughtful Bro
My talk with Oscar-nominated director ("") and first time author , on his new memoir/"coyote story" . We discussed (1) a father son saga so improbable, it almost requires a higher power to explain it, (2) the haunting legacy of indigenous genocide at mission schools, and (3) the healing power of myth...in particular, how the oral tradition of the trickster coyote can bring reconciliation and understanding to the world. Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
info_outline
Episode 77: Elaine Castillo
The Thoughtful Bro
My electrifying interview with , author of , which the New Yorker called "one of the best books of the year." We discussed (1) the psychological hellscape of the content moderator, one of the worst jobs on earth; (2) the redemptive power of VR therapeutics, and (3) how the most interesting kinds of characters are often those who are certain they are right, but are absolutely wrong. Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
info_outline
Episode 76: Jon Hickey
The Thoughtful Bro
My chat with Jon Hickey, author of the timely debut novel , a study of big egos, bad blood, and mudslinging reservation politics. We discussed: (1) the power of belonging, and how it drives power stuggles; (2) the sorrow of losing touch with your culture, and (3) the patient work of trying to make characters come alive on the page. Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
info_outline
Episode 75: Jennifer Armentrout
The Thoughtful Bro
My interview with one of the queens of Romantasy, , discussing her latest in the bestselling Blood And Ash series. We discussed (1) The psychological underpinnings of popular tropes (The Chosen One, Enemies To Lovers); (2) What she'd fix about publishing (hire editors outside of New York!); and (3) How, exactly, to publish 70 books in under 15 years (Answer: work 12 hour days, seven days a week, and never feel like you've actually made it.) Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
info_outline
Episode 74: Stephen Greenblatt
The Thoughtful Bro
My *utterly electric* convo with one of the great non-fiction writers and scholars of our time, Stephen Greenblatt. Stephen is the Pulitzer Prize winning/bestselling author of some of my favorite books EVER about literary history (including The Swerve), and he's out now with , about the troubled, complex genius of Shakespeare’s top rival, Chris Marlowe. We discussed (1) how Marlowe, the same age as the Bard, was a far more important writer than Shakespeare when he was stabbed to death at 29; (2) how Elizabethan London was a North Korea-like tinderbox of political repression and censorship;...
info_outline
Episode 73: Jon Raymond
The Thoughtful Bro
My chat with , a book that The New York Times assures "lives up to its epic title." We covered: (1) writing a story that unites the worldviews of his Buddhist father and Jewish mother; (2) drawing inspiration from Graham Greene's classic The End Of The Affair, and (3) how curing writer despair is often a matter of just re-investing yourself in the writer community. The karma is real. Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
info_outline
Episode 72: Daniel Kraus
The Thoughtful Bro
My interview with bestselling Whalefall author Daniel Kraus, chatting about his new World War I novel (written entirely in one sentence!), Angel Down. We covered: (1) the Whalefall film adaptation, starring fellow actor (and writer), Josh Brolin; (2) His previous collabs with horror/fantasy legend Guillermo del Toro; and (3) why he never, ever, ever imitates himself, and how tackling new genres and styles is what gives spark to his work. Order Mark's novel . All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on . The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by and .
info_outlineMy chat with God And Sex author Jon Raymond, a book that The New York Times assures "lives up to its epic title."
We covered: (1) writing a story that unites the worldviews of his Buddhist father and Jewish mother; (2) drawing inspiration from Graham Greene's classic The End Of The Affair, and (3) how curing writer despair is often a matter of just re-investing yourself in the writer community. The karma is real.
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.