Uncorking a Story
In-depth conversations with storytellers including authors, filmmakers, comedians, and podcasters.
Now Blooming, with Trish Michael
We are often told to always look on the bright side of life—at least those of us who grew up watching Monty Python movies were told that. But how can we look on the bright side when the world around us appears to be so incredibly dark? Throughout her life, my guest...
99 Rejections, with Melissa Payne
Melissa Payne is the bestselling, award-winning author of The Secrets of Lost Stones, Memories in the Drift and The Night of Many Endings. She joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss her career and latest book, A Light in the Forest. Set in the hills of southeastern...
Believing in Magic, with M.J. Rose
New York Times, USAToday, and Wall St. Journal bestseller, M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park, and reading her mother's favorite books before she was...
The Power Trio, with S.E. Boyd
S.E. Boyd is the creation of veteran journalists Kevin Alexander and Joe Keohane, and editor Alessandra Lusardi. All lightly damaged Catholics prone to extensive over-analysis, Alexander, Keohane, and Lusardi have, between them, authored four books, edited dozens...
Start Asking Who, with Matt McWilliams
When I was a kid, I had dreams of joining the PGA tour; the only problem was, I really didn’t show a tremendous aptitude for the game of golf, which is kind of a precursor for playing professionally. In this way, I couldn’t be any more different than today’s guest,...
Do More, Better, with Susan Combs
Susan Combs is President of Combs & Company, a full-service insurance brokerage firm based in New York City. She started the company at twenty-six years old with a drive to “Do more, better.” This internal mantra has resulted in numerous successes and firsts, like...
Taking Stock, with Nick Jonsson
Nick is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of one of Asia’s premiere networking organizations. He built a caring community that provides hundreds of executives a safe haven to share their challenges, and receive support and learn from each other. He joined me on...
7 Beliefs, with Mike Carlon
Today, we are doing something a little different on Uncorking a Story. It’s a new year and, for our first episode, there is no guest. I’m using this first episode to thank all of the wonderful publicists I’ve worked with and authors I’ve interviewed over the course of...
Writing for Everyone, with K.K. Weakley
K.K. Weakley was born and reared in Wexford Ireland. She has written 11 books and plays for stage. K.K. loves to read historical fiction and a good love story kind of book and writes tales of castles, warriors, hell demons, witches and whatever else comes to her...
Getting Happy, with Tori Whitaker
Tori Whitaker is a bestselling author who also belongs to the Bourbon Women Association and the Historical Novel Society. Her work has appeared in the Historical Novels Review and Bookmarks magazine. She graduated from Indiana University, is an alum of the Yale...
Getting Weird, with Eric G. Wilson
What’s wrong with being a little weird? I am fortunate in my career to meet new people every week through the work that I do and let me tell you, I definitely get a chance to see a good cross-section of humanity. Who do I remember the most? The ones who are, shall I...
Radio Wave Illumination, with Mark Thompson
I like to tell people that I started Uncorking a Story as a way to give authors a platform for promoting their books, but the reality is that I had an ulterior motive behind starting the show—I wanted the opportunity to pick the brains of successful authors so that I...
WoMentoring, with Michelle Renaldo Ferguson
Over the course of my career I can point to three people who were excellent mentors for me—people who really helped shape who I am not only as a qualitative researcher, but as a person. They are Susanne Heincke, Liz Moore, and Paul Jacobson. Each helped to inspire me...
Coming of Age, with Sarah McCraw Crow
My eighty-nine year old mother has a catch phrase. When she doesn’t know what to say, she’ll typically belt on, “It’s all good.” Even though her age has robbed her of her short-term memory, she remains very optimistic and, in general, happy. Growing up, if I was ever...
Getting Creative Together, with Steven Kowalski
This is going to sound funny coming from the author of eight novels, but there was a time I didn’t consider myself to be creative. Growing up, I dreaded art class because I can’t draw to save my life and I always linked creativity with the ability to draw. On top of...
Shall all be Saved, with Karen Winnick
Today’s guest on Uncorking a Story, Karen Winnick, reminds me so much of my mother. Both are from Brooklyn and are animal lovers who would rather set a spider free than squish it. But unless my mother has been hiding the fact that she is a successful children’s book...
Do No Harm, with Richard Gallagher, MD
When I was a kid there were a few things I thought would be more of big deal in adulthood including quicksand, killer bees, and satanists. Now I am not saying these things don’t exist, just not at the level we were scared into believing as children. Dr. Richard...
Finding Purpose, with Nathanael Garrett Novosel
My guest today, Nathanael Garrett Novosel, was just six years old when he started questioning the meaning of life. When I was younger, I questioned it as well, but we went about it in different ways. For example, Nate asked big existential questions whereas yours...