The podcast
Uncorking a Story
Conversations with authors about the stories behind their stories. New episodes every Tuesday.
Recently uncorked
From Newsroom to Novelist
Former Wall Street Journal deputy editor-in-chief Neal Lipschutz on turning to fiction full-time after retirement, being edited after decades as an editor, and his new Scott Morgan suspense novel, Long Arm of the Past.
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The Answer 500 Authors Keep Giving
For the 500th episode, Mike Carlon turns the mic on himself: where writing careers begin, why there are no overnight successes, grief, and the 3 a.m. download that became The Waiting Room.
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Bouncing Back
Ellen Holtzman on her award-winning debut Bouncing Back, teaching herself to write, why you can't tell the story while you're still in the wound, and how women lose and find themselves in marriage and divorce.
Listen →Every episode
From Newsroom to Novelist, with Neal Lipschutz
Former Wall Street Journal deputy editor-in-chief Neal Lipschutz on turning to fiction full-time after retirement, being edited after decades as an editor, and his new Scott Morgan suspense novel, Long Arm of the Past.
The Answer 500 Authors Keep Giving
For the 500th episode, Mike Carlon turns the mic on himself: where writing careers begin, why there are no overnight successes, grief, and the 3 a.m. download that became The Waiting Room.
Bouncing Back
Ellen Holtzman on her award-winning debut Bouncing Back, teaching herself to write, why you can't tell the story while you're still in the wound, and how women lose and find themselves in marriage and divorce.
We're Our Own Worst Enemy
Sal Amato on his debut political sci-fi thriller Hidden Powers: Disclosure From Within, the alleged 1954 Eisenhower UFO meeting, tribalism and algorithms, and how Second City improv shaped his writing.
Some Stories Carry You
Dena Schusterman on reclaiming her father's stories, why you can't write someone else's memoir, tracing an inherited coping mechanism back four generations, and treating every rejection as proof she was closer to a yes.
Everyone Is Creative
Debut author Zara Marielle on her portal fantasy The Cafe of Infinite Doors, why creativity is a muscle anyone can build, and how life becomes material for fiction.
The Search for Self
Margaret Eastman Smith grew up inside Moral Re-Armament and left at thirty-five. Her memoir A Spectacular Inheritance is a story of untangling family, faith, and self.
History, Empathy, and Untold Stories
Gerald Patnode on his historical legal thriller The Stirling Defense, the forgotten Navassa Island story, a family secret in the attic, and why untold stories still matter.
Cowboys, Pottery, and Broken Things
Ginger Pinholster returns to talk about her braided historical novel THE TRAIN TO SANTA FE — three generations, a hot cowboy, indigenous pottery, and healing through community.
The Girl on the Beach
Carol Snow on her psychological thriller The Girl on the Beach, switching genres, recovering from burnout, and why aspiring writers should focus on craft before publication.
Downloads from Spirit
Katherine Marie on her book High Five Your Spirit Guides, bridging tech and spirituality, receiving downloads from spirit, and why anyone can connect with their soul team.
Breaking Good
Nikki Mammano on her debut memoir Breaking Good, addiction as the disease of trauma, finding out she was pregnant at rock bottom, and why your story is never over.
Keep the Faith: A Man's Guide to Staying Catholic After Divorce
Jim Carlon returns to discuss Keep the Faith, a practical guide for divorced Catholic men navigating faith, annulment, and starting over within the Church.
Square Heartss: Falling Back in Love with Yourself
Julee Balko returns to discuss her third novel Square Hearts, a story about grief, second chances, neurodivergent representation, and rediscovering self-love after loss.
Palms on the Cape
Jenn Bouchard on her Cape Cod friends-to-lovers romance Palms on the Cape, pivoting when a publisher closes, writing confidence, and balancing teaching with a fiction career.
Racing Toward the Singularity
Dr. Peter Solomon returns to discuss 12 Years to AI Singularity, the concept of 'happy history' as a guardrail for AI safety, and why we need an Earthling Tribe.
Through Her Eyes
Dr. Kate Sorokas on her debut thriller Through Her Eyes, postpartum depression, writing fiction to build empathy, and why mothers need community over self-care.
In the Blood
NYT bestselling author April Henry on her YA thriller In the Blood, the nine-year journey to her first novel, running in handcuffs for research, and nature vs. nurture.
Wake Up, You're Not Broken
Marci Hopkins on her sobriety journey, writing memoir as therapy, surrendering to the truth, and her new book Wake Up, You're Not Broken: A Companion for Your First 30 Days of Sobriety.
The Gift of Starting Over
Ralph Brewer on rebuilding after rock bottom, the dead bedroom crisis, why 'nice guys' lose attraction, and how raising your hand for help is the fastest path forward.
When Art Imitates Life
Liz Lazarus on her psychological thriller Dawn Before Darkness, writing as therapy, a ten-year guardianship battle, interviewing stalker survivors, and the puzzle of twist endings.
Pass the Trauma, Please
Todd Diamond on his comedy-drama Holocaust memoir Pass the Trauma, Please — inherited trauma, dark humor, a bar mitzvah 80 years late, and writing a father-son story while his father is still alive.
The Roots of the Guava Tree
Sonia Daccarett on The Roots of the Guava Tree — a memoir about growing up Jewish and Arab in Colombia, navigating multicultural identity, and surviving the violence of the 1980s.
An Unquenchable Thirst
Anne H. Putnam on her breakup memoir Make Do and Mend, writing 200,000 words to find the right 80,000, self-publishing without shame, and the unquenchable thirst for being understood.
Feed Your Dreams, Face Your Tiger
Lillian Eve Moore on her book Treasure Hunting in the Underworld, navigating trauma as treasure, why love is the only thing that heals, and building a life from your deepest fear.
The Voluntary Jew
Dr. Georgette Bennett on Half Jew, Full Life — the extraordinary Holocaust story of a man who chose to be Jewish when it could be fatal, survived Berlin underground, and built an American dream.
From Red Carpets to Red Wine
Danielle Frank on her debut book A Wine Lover's Guide to Parenting, pivoting from Miramax publicity to the luxury wine industry, and writing a satirical rhyming guide for parents.
It's Sauce, Not Gravy
J.A. Marz on his Tuscany-set novellas, the pull of Italy, career pivots from healthcare marketing to fiction, and the great sauce-vs-gravy debate.
Beneath the Lightless Sky: Surviving the Holocaust in the Sewers of Lvov
Dr. Doron Keren shares the story behind his grandfather's Holocaust memoir — 14 months of survival in the sewers beneath Lvov, Poland. A conversation about family, memory, and vigilance.
Touching Death
Sally Dukes on her memoir drummer girl, a near-death experience at age three, a lifelong search for truth, and the healing power of writing.
The Story She Swore She'd Never Tell
Andrea Leeb on shattering silence, surviving abuse, and writing the memoir she swore she'd never tell.
Map of a Heart: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Finding the Way Home
Jacque Gorelick on writing through trauma, building empathy for your younger self, and the family we choose. A conversation about her memoir Map of a Heart.
Revealing Purpose, with Nick Kemp
“You don’t need to find your ikigai—you already have it. You just need to notice it.” — Nick Kemp
Finding Everyday Purpose Through Japanese Wisdom
Nick Kemp challenges the Western obsession with big purpose and offers a simpler, more sustainable way to live a meaningful life through the Japanese concept of ikigai.
Chasing Nirvana: From Ashram to Author
Priya Hutner shares her journey from ashram life to rebuilding in Lake Tahoe. A conversation about belief, identity, healing, and the power of writing.
The Mannequins: Turning Childhood Trauma into Dark Fiction
Christian Toms-Arbel on turning childhood trauma into fiction, surviving a publishing scam, and writing a psychological crime thriller that shows how a serial killer is made.
Healing, Class, and Coming Home with Leigh Shalloway
“The story came out of me when it was supposed to come out of me—after living a whole life.” – Leigh Shalloway
The Infinity Within: Kris Land on Souls, Cheat Codes, and the Game of Life
“Maybe what Jesus really wanted was to show us what we’re all capable of—and that we’ve simply forgotten our own power.” — Kris Land
Healing, History, and the Power of Story with Jane Loeb Rubin
"Writing made me feel like I mattered, like I was taking up space in the universe that could be shared..”
Surviving Hijacking: Mimi Nichter on Trauma, Silence, and “Hostage”
“The more you unpack something—or uncork it—the less power it holds over you.”
Has Medicine Lost Its Mind? Dr. Robert Smith on the Crisis in Mental Health Care & How to Fix It
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/
It’s Never Too Late, Joëlle Lydon on Healing, Creativity, and Redefining Love
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/
Collaboration Is the New Competition: Priscilla McKinney on Creativity, Resilience & Reinventing Work
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/
Turning Pain Into Peace: Carol Kennedy on Faith, Loss, and Her Calling to Write Thank God for God
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/
Creativity, Vulnerability, and Flow: A Conversation with Rabbi Alon Ferency
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/
Turning Inspiration into a Trilogy, with Laura Buchwald
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/
Helping Writers Find Their Voice: Jen Braaksma on Memoir and Meaning
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/
Atomic Secrets and Fictional Spies: Leslie Schover on Turning Family History into a Novel
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/
When the Story Chooses You: Mike Carlon Uncorks His Own Journey
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/
The Man Who Invented the Medical Thriller
Dr. Robin Cook — the creator of the medical thriller genre — talks about his 41st novel Bellevue, writing his first book on a nuclear submarine, and why patients deserve credit for the history of medicine.
From Xbox to Espionage: Robbie Bach on Writing Thrillers and The Blockchain Syndicate
"Technology isn’t good or bad—it just is. How we choose to use it defines everything." — Robbie Bach
History, Poetry, and the Art of Biography, with Lewis Bowling
"I love to read, I devour books—wouldn't it be nice if I wrote something that somebody else would love to read?" — Lewis Bowling
What are you Really Hungry For? With Jane McGuinness
"We eat from a thousand different hungers—and most of them aren’t about food." — Jane McGuinness
Ghosts, Grit, and Grandogs, with Karen White
“The Lady on Esplanade is about ghosts, grief, and flipping murder houses.” — Karen White
Trauma, Healing, and Finding your Voice, with Wendy Correa
“I realized my family’s secrets had written my biography—and my biology. I wanted to take back the pen.” — Wendy Correa
From Trauma to Triumph: Sarah May on Healing, Forgiveness, and Life in a Van
"What felt like the darkest night became the beginning of something brand new." — Sarah May
Lightkeeper: Stacy Bass on Grief, Photography, and the Power of Memoir
"Grief doesn’t end—it lives alongside joy, love, and purpose. You can carry both." — Stacy Bass
Leading Through Freefall: Brianna Sylver on Innovation, Emotion, and Surrender
“Innovation isn’t just about process—it’s about emotion. If you’re not feeling resistance, you’re probably not stretching far enough.” — Brianna Sylver
From Video Store to Bestseller: Miranda Smith on Writing Dark Fiction and Finding Her Voice
"Write the book you want to read. That’s when everything changed for me." — Miranda Smith
Heaven is a Place on Earth: A Conversation with Spiritual Medium Anna Raimondi
“Energy cannot be destroyed. So where does it go? The energy is the soul, and the soul goes on. Heaven isn’t up through the clouds—it’s right here, a diffe
A Love Letter to Reading, with Heather Snodgrass
“Whether or not money comes out of this is yet to be seen. The main thing is—does it help people? Is it spreading a good message? That’s ultimately why I’m
Awaken Your Sexuality: Vanessa Carlisle on Healing, Intimacy & Recovery
“My trauma is no longer telling me what to do every day the way that it once was.” Vanessa Carlisle
From Trauma to Transcendence, with Kristina Amelong
“There really is enlightenment and awakening in the intersection between trauma and spirituality—if you go into it and don’t push it away.” — Kristina Amel
War, Writing, and Redemption, with H. Lee Barnes
Fiction is the only way I know to get to the truth of human experience.” — H. Lee Barnes
From Classrooms to Bookstores: Christine Devane’s Journey to Elephant Beach
“Sometimes you need someone outside of your family and friends to tell you, ‘This part doesn’t make sense,’ or ‘Try it this way.’ That honest feedback is w
Eleanor Rigby only Flies Pan Am, With Camille Di Maio
Two attributes of being an author are humility and perseverance. You have to push through a whole lot of no’s and believe you have something there—and have
A Dictionary of the Lost, with Jude Berman
“The stories aren’t about violence—they’re about the preciousness of life. Each one is a reminder that this could happen to anyone.” — Jude Berman Jude Berman grew up surrounded by books and cultural diversity, thanks to her refugee parents. After a career in academic research an
From Law to Literature: Melanie Anagnos on Finding Her Voice
“Don’t look around—just run your own race. That’s what I’d tell my younger self about writing.”-Melanie Anagnos
From Commune to Courage: Deborah Rudell on Memoir, Healing, and Sailing Across the Pacific
From Commune to Courage: Deborah Rudell on Memoir, Healing, and Sailing Across the Pacific
On Craft and Character, with Jackie Thomas-Kennedy
On Craft and Character, with Jackie Thomas-Kennedy
Sci-Fi, Superheroes, and the Unknown, with Caitlyn Grabenstein
“I wanted to write a character who was a relatable superhero—someone a woman today might connect with, not a god or an alien, but a real person with real s
Vanishing Act: Jerry Jamison on True Crime, Fake Deaths, and the Art of Reinvention
“From the very outset, people thought, ‘This can’t possibly be true.’ But it was—and the deeper we dug, the stranger it became.” — Jerry Jamison
The Gift of Goodbye: Edward Di Gangi on Love, Loss, and Adoption’s Untold Stories
“This is not about rejection—it’s about sacrifice.” – Edward Di Gangi
The Mother of All Decisions: Betsy Armstrong on Grief, Growth, and Midlife Motherhood
“It took me 12 years to write it and get it to a publisher… writing a book was a lot harder than an Ironman.”
The Wake-Up Call: How a Near-Death Experience Repurposed Lisa Labozzo’s Life
“I flipped twice…my seatbelt wrapped around my neck, so my airway was cut off and I was blue… Doctors called my family in for my last rites that evening.”
From Real Estate to Real Suspense: How Kaira Rouda Found Her Voice
“I realized I couldn’t write sex scenes, so I went darker. Turns out, murder is more my thing.” — Kaira Rouda
Behind the Music: A Survivor’s Story of Healing and Hope, with Rob Tonkin
“The pain of carrying the weight of this secret for so long was more damaging than the reveal.” – Rob Tonkin
Secrets in the Shadows, with A.C. Adams
“Once you start understanding someone as a person, not a role, it’s impossible to make them a villain anymore.” — Christina Adams
Rewriting Life’s Story, with Sam Woodruff
“You have to start walking the path before the path is revealed to you.” – Samantha Greene Woodruff
Casey Stengel, the Mets, and the Fight for NYC: A Conversation with Mark Galley
“There’s never been a movie or TV series about Casey Stengel—and he’s the most animated, fun-loving, Robin Williams-type of character ever. And I intend to
Moving Forward and Counting Backwards, with Jacqueline Friedland
“I don’t want to tell anyone what to think—I want to expose things and say, here’s what’s going on. What do you think about it?” — Jacqueline Friedland
Navigating Life’s Next Period with Lauren Tetenbaum
“I want women to feel seen, supported, and connected—this chapter of life isn’t the end, it’s the beginning of something new.” — Lauren Tetenbaum
Crime and Creativity, with Lina Chern
“The essence of art is taking life’s randomness and shaping it into something meaningful.” — Lina Chern
Reverse Aging, Reclaim Life, with Dr. Grazyna Pajunen
“You have to believe before you see—if you believe your body can rebuild itself, it will surprise you.” — Dr. Grazyna Pajunen
From Ghosts to Grace: How Kirsten Mickelwait Found Healing Through Storytelling
This episode is brought to you by Mike Carlon's latest novel, the Waiting Room. Check out that #1 New Release in Inspirational Spiritual Fiction Here
Facing the Jaguar: Babs Walters on Breaking the Chain of Generational Trauma
“Each time I speak, someone comes up crying, saying they finally feel seen. That’s how I know the healing matters.” —Babs Walters
Murder, Mobsters, and the Dark Side of Power, with Jeffrey Konvitz
If you remove the rule of law, the dark side of human nature is very powerful—and in this period, there was no law. — Jeffrey Konvitz
Storytelling, Conscious Creation, and Joyful Living, with Jackie Lapin
Storytelling, Conscious Creation, and Joyful Living, with Jackie Lapin
Secrets, Fallout, and Fiction: Kay Smith-Blum on Writing Truth into Historical Lies
“Nobody writes alone—and if they do, I don’t think they write well.”
Uncoding the Pain: Brandi Dredge on Writing Through Trauma and Finding Purpose
“If I accept that I’m his victim… can I even say I’m a wife? If my child’s DNA is evidence of a crime… can I say I’m a mother?” – Brandi Dredge
A Mother’s Journey of Hope, Grit, and Grace, with Jennifer Celeste Briggs
“I really wanted to reach the parents who might be crying in their kitchen and feeling alone—to let them know they’re not alone in those feelings.” – Jenni
Turning Heartbreak into Humor with Virginia DeLuca
“All love is risky. People die, they leave, they don’t listen to you—but you love them anyway.” — Virginia DeLuca
Putting the Dollhouse Back Together: Beverly Armento on Trauma, Forgiveness, and Finding Voice
“We spend so much of our life trying to put the pieces back in the dollhouse… the furniture changes, the people change.” — Beverly Jean Armento
From Policy to Prose: Iris Mitlin Lav’s Journey Into Fiction
“I’ve always believed that within the realm of what’s possible, I can do it—and fiction was just another challenge to embrace.” — Iris Mitlin Lav
Life’s Too Short: Jennifer Griffith on Legacy, Loss, and the Mothers Who Shape Us
My dad looked at me and said, ‘It just went so fast.’ I asked what did, and he said, ‘Life.’ That moment changed everything—I knew I had to write the book
Going Off Script: Wayne Scott on Marriage, Memoir, and Making Your Own Map
“Your marriage can be anything you want it to be—you don’t have to just follow a supplied script.” — Wayne Scott
Identity, Rejection, and Writing What You Love, with Janet Constantino
“I learned that I’m dogged… I didn’t abandon it, and that became very important—not giving up.” — Janet Constantino
Writing Between the Lines of History, with Barbara Southard
“The whole idea of historical fiction is to fill in the gaps in the emotional feeling of the participants in the crisis.” — Barbara Southard
The Stardust Within Us: Dr. Peter Solomon on Science, Storytelling, and Saving the Planet
“We’ve got to start thinking of ourselves as the Earthling tribe.” — Dr. Peter Solomon
Writing from the Margins, with Joanne Howard
“Don’t be your own no—if the answer is no, let someone else say it. Don’t take yourself out of the race because of your own insecurities.” – Joanne Howard
Stories That Find Us: Rochelle Weinstein on Pivots and the Power of Persistence
“The writing is the easiest part. It’s everything after that—the marketing, the visibility, the noise—that makes this business so tough. But you’ve got to
Lighting Up the World: The Extraordinary Power of Fireflies with Julie Wignall
“We all have a light to shine, and today more than ever, the world needs us to shine those lights in all the different areas that are there.” – Julie Wigna
Kristen Arnett Unpacks Florida, Fiction, and Finding Your Voice
Each book has its own trajectory and process… The things that are meant for you come to you.” – Kristen Arnett
Untitled
“The number one thing a leader can do is have a vision for their team's careers—yet only 12% of employees say their boss ever talks to them about it.” — Dr
Unmasking Secrets: Robert Steven Goldstein on Fiction, Power, and Identity
"Believe in that inner voice. Trust it, no matter what anyone else says. Just keep pursuing what’s important to you." – Robert Steven Goldstein
Rewriting Her Story: Barbara Boyle’s Reinvention from Ad Exec to Memoirist
"Only you can tell your story, and only you can tell it in the way you tell it. And that's critical." – Barbara Boyle
Teaching, Writing, and Breaking Through: Jenn Bouchard’s Delicious Path to Publishing
“I realized that storytelling was something I had to do—not just something I wanted to do.” – Jenn Bouchard Award-winning author Jenn Bouchard joins the show to talk about her journey from being a dedicated high school teacher to a published, award winning novelist. She shares in
From Magazines to Manuscripts: Jonathan Small’s Writing Journey
"Don't be afraid to fail and just do what you want to do. The fear of failure holds so many people back." – Jonathan Small
The Practical Path to Peace: Janet Ettele’s Journey Through Buddhism and Art
"When we seek to benefit others, we’re at our best and happiest."— Janet Ettele
Twice the Story: Julie McGue on Family, Identity, and the Journey of Belonging
Life gives us a lot of lessons that we don’t know how we’re going to use, and then all of a sudden, we’re called to the challenge and we pick it up. – Juli
Crafting Fiction from Life’s Unexpected Turns with Mary Camarillo
"Good fiction exposes us to people we don’t understand—and makes us care about them.” — Mary Camarillo
For Writing’s Sake: Patti Clark on Creating a Life You Don’t Want to Escape From
In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, host Mike Carlon sits down with Patti Clark, award-winning author of This Way Up and Recovery Road Trip. Patti shares her journey from addiction and recovery to embracing creativity and connection as vital tools for healing. Together, they
Ashes to Answers: Sandra Schnakenburg’s Journey into Hidden Truths and Spiritual Healing
“She was the light in our chaotic home, the anchor in our storms. And yet, Lee’s story was a mystery even to her.” — Sandra Schnackenberg
From Grief to Ghosts: Kevin Moore on Writing, Dreams, and Spiritual Thrillers
“Life is stranger than fiction. I use the things I’ve experienced—the pain, the joy, and even the ghosts—in my writing.” — Kevin Moore
Turning Discomfort into Self-Love: Jenna Tico’s Path to Authenticity
"The same things about me that made others uncomfortable are what I’ve come to love most about myself." – Jenna Tico
Unlocking High Vibrations: Lainie Sevante Wulkan on Intuition, Food Healing, and Wellness
Unlocking High Vibrations: Lainie Sevante Wulkan on Intuition, Food Healing, and Wellness
From Polio to Prose: Francine Falk Allen’s Story of Resilience and Revelation
Writing my story helped me process resentment, discover hidden truths, and find peace—it’s cathartic in ways I never expected." – Francine Falk Allen
Fearless Fiction: Ellen Birkett Morris on Tackling the Novel and Taming Doubt
"Fear was a huge thing for me, but I reached a point where I thought, if I don’t do this now, I’m never going to do it." – Ellen Birkett Morris
From Pop-Punk to Epic Fantasy: Tim Facciola’s Decade of Dream-Weaving
From Pop-Punk to Epic Fantasy: Tim Facciola’s Decade of Dream-Weaving
From Rock Bottom to Resilience: Pat Broe on Mental Health and Authentic Living
“We all deserve to meet the most real, confident version of ourselves—and the world deserves it too." – Pat Broe
Ethnic Schizophrenia: Helen Charov on Navigating Identity and Uncovering Her Family’s WWII Story
"I think one of the reasons that I wrote the book was I wanted her to be proud of me." — Helen Charov
Writing Through the Fire: Barbara Nickless on Resilience and Craft
“Life’s tragedies can light the way to our greatest stories.” — Barbara Nickless
Breaking Boundaries and Barriers: Ashleigh Renard’s Rebellious Reinvention
"Choosing my own freedom felt like a radical act—like breaking every rule I’d ever known." – Ashleigh Renard
Behind the Scarlet Letter: History, Scandal, and the American Tragedy with Pat Suprenant
"The crime wasn’t the abortion—it was the sex outside of marriage. Let that sit with you for a while." – Pat Suprenant
From Atheist to Apostle: Ganesh Venkataramanan’s Quest for a Greater Purpose
"I realized that science alone couldn't answer my deepest questions—there had to be something more." – Ganesh Venkataramanan
From the Draft to Bestsellers: Robin Cook on Writing and Medicine
“I think that being a writer, in a certain sense, made me a better doctor, because being a writer, you have to constantly be thinking about characters and characterizations, et cetera. So I became even more kind of interested in my patients.” — Dr. Robin Cook In this episode of U
Whispering from the Grave, with K.K. Weakley
"The darker it gets, the more I enjoy it." – K.K. Weakley
From Brooklyn to Bestsellers: Randy Susan Meyers on Writing, Life, and Lessons Learned
"Books have always meant more to me than breath—writing them is my way of making sense of the world and connecting to others." — Randy Susan Meyers
Breaking the Silence: Bridey Thelen-Heidel on Trauma, Resilience, and Writing the Truth
"I couldn’t let the secrets that controlled my past control my future." — Bridey Telen-Heidel
Haunted by Stories: Laura Buchwald on Writing, Ghosts, and Grief
“Writing is a solitary endeavor, but creating community can transform the experience—it reminds us we're not alone in our stories.” — Laura Buchwald
From Trauma to Transformation: Dr. Lisa Cooney on Healing, Writing, and the Soul’s Journey
"I thought I was saving others, but it was my own soul that needed saving." — Dr. Lisa Cooney
Epic Comebacks, with Cindy Finch
"Grief is actually a guru that guides us, taking us through the dark night of the soul and transforming us—even when it feels like it’s breaking us down."
Leaving Law for Literature, with Author Mary Keliikoa
"I think we’re always trying to heal ourselves, whether it’s through fiction or not."
Mind over Menu, with Jared Gleaton
"Food had controlled me. The grocery store controlled me, restaurants controlled me—and I wanted to break free of that."
Turning Pain into Prose: Writing, Opioids, and Finding Purpose, with Laura Essay
"I had no idea how big this was...over 80 percent of people you see in the alley were once you and me—soccer moms, CEOs—pulled into addiction by something
Crafting Activist Fiction, with Jude Berman
"If you feel you have something worth saying, why not take the effort and pursue it?" — Jude Berman
Unlocking Emotional Intelligence, with Patrick Kilcarr, Ph.D.
"I think emotional intelligence invites us to slow things down and really take pause in relation to who we are in the world." – Patrick Kilcarr
Letting it Cook, with Fiona Barton
“Writing is not just putting your fingers on the keys. Writing is thinking, imagining, and playing games in your head.” — Fiona Barton
Uncorking Courage, with Kristina Kuzmic
“My desire is to be for others what I needed when I was at my lowest.” – Kristina Kuzmic
Redemption, Reinvention, and Writing, with Richard Podkowski
"As a Secret Service agent, I was a secret writer... I kept my writing hidden for about five years." – Richard Podkowski
Creating New Purpose, with Jonathan Bogner
"Resilience isn't just bouncing back—it's finding new purpose after everything changes." — Jonathan Bogner
Writing Beyond Boundaries: Embracing Criticism, Late Blooms, and Creative Courage with Linda Moore
"Perseverance is probably the most important skill or quality to have. Stick with it, and eventually you'll cross some kind of finish line." – Linda Moore
From Myths to Medicine: Dr. Benjamin Caplan on Cannabis
“There's so much literature in cannabis... I'm kind of acting a little bit like a translator for the general public and for the medical community." — Dr. B
Finding Freedom Through Love, Connection, and Writing, with Varuni Sinha
"I felt really alienated before, but when I started walking on the streets and all these people started sharing their stories, I slowly started to heal." —
Writing Through Adversity, with Ann Bancroft
"I wasn't interested in writing about my own cancer journey, but I was interested in the idea of what if my situation had been flipped." — Ann Bancroft
Healing through Story, with Holly LaBarbera
"Writing is like therapy; it reveals the soul and heals the heart." — Holly LaBarbera
Unlocking the Subconscious, with Philip Cioffari
"Writing is like staying in shape; even when things aren't going well, sitting at the desk and writing keeps you ready for the day when the right ideas and
Music and Murder with Hannah Mary McKinnon
"I like the idea of thinking of it as a gift, although it certainly doesn't feel like it at the time." — Hannah Mary McKinnon
Music and Murder with Hannah Mary McKinnon
Internationally bestselling thriller author Hannah Mary McKinnon on writing thrillers and rom-coms, crafting song lyrics for a fictional band, and why failure was the best thing that happened to her career.
Going into the Closet, with Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon
“When your fears disappear, your dreams appear.” —Gamma, from “Closet of Dreams”
Don’t Hold Back, with Jasmine Gonzalez
"It's okay to not be okay. Writing has been my way to let things out, to release the constriction of emotions, and to heal. I don't hold back in my poetry,
From Marketing Maven to Magical Storyteller, with Christina Bacilieri
"Magic finds us in our darkest times." — Christina Bacilieri
Love, Loss, and Legacy, with Anna Monardo
"Marriage can hold more difficulty than you believe and still move forward and evolve into something positive." – Anna Monardo
Navigating Identity and Belonging, with Adoptee Lisa Ann
"Being chosen doesn't mean being whole; it means navigating a journey to find yourself.” — Adoptee Lisa Ann
Talents Not Tendencies, with Mary Carol Moore
"The idea of found family and the hope that you have a pod of people out there who will accept you for who you are is central to my story." — Mary Carol Mo
Divine Gifts, with Lauren Martin
"Poetry is a gift from the Divine, a voice from ancestors, expressing profound truths and deep emotions." - Lauren Martin
Hidden Healers, with Dr. Stephanie Covington
"We have a lot to learn from them. It's really about the survival of the human spirit." - Dr. Stephanie Covington
Embracing Life’s Unexpected Twists, with Link Forester
“Be quick to forgive yourself. It's hard to do, but be quick to forgive people around you. We're going to disappoint ourselves, and people are going to dis
Be Your Own Fool, with Joe Di Prisco
“Be your own fool. You’ve got to be a little bit crazy to believe your writing matters, and it does!”
Wine, Women, and Dementia, with Kitty Norton
"It's like a honey badger; dementia doesn't give a shit. It doesn't care about what you want to do." — Kitty Norton
From Lost to Found, with Tracy Mayo
"Right, you'll forget it ever happened. That's what my social worker told me and other girls at the Florence Crittenton home for unwed mothers. But yeah, y
A Writing Journey of Love, Loss, and Legacy, with Glenn Hileman
“I found writing almost an unbelievably incredible way to deal with the grief. It was a way to channel my energy in a really productive way that ultimately
Pathways of Light, with Gary Smith
"It's interesting to compare the process of creating an image with writing. In photography, I find myself editing the scene to highlight what draws my inte
Triumph over Tragedy, with Reggie Reed
"I have my wife as my ultimate support system. But as a man, it feels like you shouldn’t show weakness or talk about things that might make you vulnerable
The Power of Strength, with Lori Brand
"The day my dance instructor had her jaw wired shut to lose weight was the day I realized how deep the rabbit hole of body image issues really went. It was
From Punk Bands to Bestsellers, with Richard Roper
"I kind of almost became an author by accident. It was a case of rediscovering a love of fiction, and then, on idle weekends, working on things purely to e
Twins and Trails: Peter Malone Elliott's Journey from Screen to Page
Join us in this intriguing episode as we dive into the creative world of Peter Malone Elliott, an award-nominated screenwriter and author of the captivatin
Unseen Lists: Discovering Ourselves Beyond the Pages, with Julee Balko
In this episode, we delve into the captivating world of Julee Balko, an author renowned for her intricate portrayal of complex female characters and her bo
Unwritten Rules: Queer Motherhood, Resilience, and the Reckless Pursuit of Storytelling with Gail Marlene Schwartz
"Embracing the reckless part of me, saying 'yes' to what resonates deeply despite insecurities, has been a pivotal part of my journey. It's about integrati
You are Braver than you Believe, with Suzette Mullen
Suzette Mullen is a memoir and nonfiction book coach and retreat leader. Her essays have appeared in the New York Times and Today.com, among other outlets.
Parts of Self, with Boo Trundle
Boo Trundle is a writer, artist, and performer whose work has appeared across various platforms and publications, including The Brooklyn Rail, McSweeney’s
Myth Building, with Jared N. Michaud
Jared N. Michaud is a devoted fiction writer driven by a passion for writing that began before he reached age seven. Influenced by literary giants like C.S
Learning from Life's Disappointments, with E.A. Aymar
"In writing, what’s really crucial is persistence. Every 'no' brings you closer to a 'yes'. And when you infuse your personal experiences into your stories
A Pearl of Great Price, with Dr. Vilma Luz Caban
Dr. Vilma Luz Cabán is a dedicated educator with over 30 years experience in Westchester County, New York. She serves as an Executive Board member for the
It's Never too Late, with Iris Yamashita
Iris Yamashita is an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter for the movie Letters from Iwo Jima. She has been working in Hollywood for fifteen years developi
Trauma as a Catalyst, with Carrie Rickert
Carrie Rickert’ life-threatening accident and related complications started her down a path of examining what was, what is, and what could be. Her’s is a
The Healing Power of Writing, with Kendra Petty
Kendra Petty is a woman who has succeeded in an all-male industry, becoming an executive vice president at two firms. She is a dynamic public speaker, powe
Fashion vs. Family, with Diane Gilman
Diane Gilman found her greatest success at age sixty, when she sparked a denim revolution by designing blue jeans for real women with real bodies. She’s so
Channeling Harper Lee, with Allen Mendenhall
Allen Mendenhall is a lawyer and university administrator in Alabama who edited Southern Literary Review for over a decade. He joined me on Uncorking a Sto
Coming of Age, with Don Futterman
Writer, actor and storyteller, Don Futterman has written for a variety of publications including the Daily Beast, The San Francisco Chronicle and the Haare
Stay on the Road, with Florence Reiss Kraut
Florence Reiss Kraut is a native New Yorker, raised and educated in New York City. She holds a BA in English and a Master’s in Social Work and worked for t
We all Need Paris, with Joan Meyerson
Joan Meyerson is an award-winning writer/director/producer of documentaries and television programs for which she won two Writers Guild of America awards.
Exquisite Loneliness, with Richard Deming
Richard Deming is an award-winning poet and critic, whose work explores the intersections of literature, philosophy, and visual culture. He’s the author of
Keeping Secrets, with Peggy Townsend
Peggy Townsend is an award-winning journalist who has panhandled with street kids, taken to the skies with pararescuers, and once chased an escaped murdere
Writing from a Center of Love, with Shelley Fraser Mickle
Shelley Fraser Mickle is an award-winning author who has published over a dozen books, which, along with her commitment to literacy and the power of story,
Releasing the Prisoner, with Justin Woodbury
Justin Woodbury was raised on a small farm out in the country on the west side of Ann Arbor, Michigan. A child survivor of church abuse, Justin began advoc
Finding Sunlight, with Chrissy Holm
Chrissy Holm is a writer, editor, and project manager and is the host of the podcast Stirred By Words, where she talks about words, writing, and wellness.
Taking a Stand, with Robert W. Norris
Robert W. Norris was born and raised in Humboldt County, California, where he played basketball in high school and junior college. In 1969, he entered the
A Journey Through Grief, with Natasha Daniels
Natasha Daniels is an anxiety and OCD child therapist and has published multiple books including How to Parent your Anxious Toddler, Anxiety Sucks: A Teen
Snakes, Society, and Storytelling, with Ginger Pinholster
Ginger Pinholster’s first novel, “City in a Forest,” won a Gold Royal Palm Literary Award from the Florida Writers Association in 2020. She is a volunteer
A Blank Canvas, with Lynne Golodner
Lynne Golodner is the author of eight books and thousands of articles as well as a marketing entrepreneur, writing coach and host of the Make Meaning Podca
There's Always a Way, with Christina Henry
Christina Henry is a horror and dark fantasy author whose works include Horseman, Near the Bone, The Ghost Tree, Looking Glass, The Girl in Red, The Mermai
You Matter! With Ellen Yashinsky Chute
Ellen Yashinsky Chute is a clinical social worker, consultant and educator who has dedicated her life to helping individuals, families and teams unlock the
Cat Scratch Fever, with Audrey Gale
Audrey Gale long dreamed of being a writer, but never anticipated the circuitous road she’d take to get there. After twenty-plus years in the banking indus
A Spiritual Forgiveness, with Diane Danvers-Simmons
Diane Danvers Simmons is a born-and-raised Brit who moved to America in her late twenties for business and success. After an accomplished career as a senio
A Bold Faced Lie, with Carissa Orlando
Carissa Orlando has a doctorate in clinical-community psychology and specializes in work with children and adolescents. Prior to her career in psychology,
Crumbs of Love, with Donna Marie Hayes
Donna Marie Hayes is a SAG-AFTRA actress and cabaret singer who can be found on a stage or in front of a camera and has been featured on the Dr. Oz Show, O
Be Bold, with Edward Carey
Edward Carey is a novelist, visual artist, and playwright. His previous novels include The Swallowed Man, which was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ C
Turning Pain into Purpose, with Bill C. Potts
Bill C. Potts is a motivational speaker, business leader, and community builder who has held executive roles at IRONMAN Group and Clearwater Marine Aquariu
A Light Bulb Moment, with Will Harris
Will Harris is on a mission to help save the world. He inherited a highly profitable, conventionally run farm from his ancestors. After many years, he foun
Building Bravery, with Kimberly Behre Kenna
Authors often tap into their past experiences and memories and plant them in our stories. Speaking from experiences, anecdotes that my parents shared with
Into the Groove, with Zaida Alfaro
Sometimes I interview someone and we just don’t click. There are those interviews where we just fail to find a groove and I think to myself, that could hav
Unleashing the Muse, with Lauren, J.A. Bear
When I was a kid, my brother Jimmy and I would watch the original Clash of the Titans over and over and over. It had everything a young boy would love; her
Why Not? With Mark Schiff
This episode is the result of mistaken identity. Somehow I got it in my head that comedian Mark Schiff was in the room next to my brother’s at Memorial Slo
Fake it Till you Learn it, with Marilyn Moss Rockefeller
What do Andy Warhol and Julia Child have in common? They were both in Marilyn Moss Rockefeller’s life! Listen in as I uncork Marilyn’s unexpected journey i
An Unlikely Felon, with Will Young
Everything I know about the criminal justice system I learned from Law and Order. Seriously, I’ve watched so much of it I feel as if I have a JD from L&O U
Transforming Grief, with Tracee Dunblazier
Though it sounds unintuitive, experiencing grief can be a good thing. All of us suffer losses at various points during our life—it could be the loss of a l
Love Lasts Forever, with Jane L. Rosen
I love it when conversations go to unexpected places and today’s does just that. I didn’t anticipate speaking about the passing of my brother but doing so
Unleashing the Writer Within, with Chris Ehrlich
I’ve long believed that curiosity is one of the most powerful superpowers that authors wield. Thinking it through more, curiosity may help us craft interes
Making the Difference, with Carl Ficks and Rosemary Ravinal
Carl Ficks has introduced me to many fantastic guests who have appeared on Uncorking a Story over the years. Today, it is his turn to sit in the hot seat!
Unhealed Scars, with Tim Murphy
Tim Murphy is the author of Correspondents and Christodora, which was long-listed for the 2017 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and named a
Measure Twice, Cut Once, with Craig Johnson
Imagine sitting with an acquiring editor who just offered you a multi book deal to write a series based on your first book and telling them that you will t
Path of Survival, with Lynn Hightower
I’ve long believed that writing is therapeutic but for author Lynn Hightower, it became her path of survival during a difficult period in her life. She exp
From the Stage to the Page, with Stephanie Cowell
Writing is a dynamic and ever-evolving process. By embracing change and finding inspiration in unexpected places, you can breathe new life into your writin
This Much is True, with Wendy Holden
Today, we have the fabulous Wendy Holden, a British journalist and novelist with global success, joining us to spill the tea on her latest book, "The Princ
Below the Surface, with Colin Dickey
I was once eating dinner alone at a bar in Petaluma, CA when a fellow solo diner started a conversation by saying, “I’m no conspiracy theorist but…” and wh
Curiosity and Connection, with Alison Gaylin
Given my love of Columbo, I love it when a guest has a good Peter Falk story, and Alison Gaylin doesn’t disappoint. She doubled down when expressing her ap
Doing the Twist, with Liv Constantine
My twin brother and I are very close—so close in fact that we can finish each other’s sentences. That said, I couldn’t imagine writing a book with him, let
A Dream Deferred, with Jenny Jackson
While many of us dream of being writers from a young age, the truth is, not all of us can do it early on in our lives and find that we have to defer that d
Making It, with Peter Maeck
Today’s guest, Peter Maeck, inspired me with his words of advice for his younger self—”If you have an impulse and are young enough to start at an entry lev
No Backup Plan, with Andrew Ridker
They say you can never go home again, but no one told that to Andrew Ridker. During the height of the Covid 19 pandemic, Andrew left his apartment in Brook
Living Authentically, with Melissa Giberson
Sometimes it takes a while to find out who we truly are, particularly if we didn’t give ourselves the time to explore life prior to settling down and start
Writing is an Act of Faith, with Jennifer Cody Epstein
Giving yourself the right to write badly is excellent advice for aspiring and established authors. Writing is a muscle which has to be exercised in order t
Burning the Negative, with Josh Winning
Josh Winning is the author of the critically acclaimed The Shadow Glass. He is a senior film writer at Radio Times, has written for Total Film for over a d
The Hard Grind, with Karen McManus
Elevator pitches are critically important when selling your book. Ideally, you’d answer the question, “So, what’s your book about?” with a one sentence des
From Rejection to Resilience, with Poet Whitney Hanson
I loved connecting with Whitney Hanson and hearing her path to publishing. Originally independently published, Whitney caught the attention of an acquisiti
The Story of Ourselves, with Lynne Hugo
Lynne Hugo is a National Endowment For The Arts Fellowship recipient who has also received repeat individual artist grants from the Ohio Arts Council and t
Karen Mangia, live from IIEX in Austin, TX
Karen Mangia is a WSJ Best Selling Author and one of the most sought after thought leaders in the world, sharing her thought leadership with over 10,000 organizations during the course of her career. She is the author of four books including: Success from Anywhere: Create Your Ow
Unexpected Twists and Identity Shifts, with Hannah Mary McKinnon
Hannah Mary McKinnon was born in the UK, grew up in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 2010. Her suspense novels include THE NEIGHBORS, bestsellers HER SEC
Overcoming Objections, with Adam Mitzner
Adam Mitzner is the critically acclaimed Amazon Charts bestselling author of Dead Certain, Never Goodbye, and The Best Friend in the Broden legal series,
The Thin Veil, with Dr. Gary Simonds
Dementia is something that has touched my family in a terrible way. My mother, whose memory was always sharp as a tack, has been battling dementia for year
From Brain Surgery to Bestseller, with Sara Staggs
Who would play Lion-O in a live action adaptation of Thundercats? Today’s guest, Sara Staggs, needed the eye of Thundera to help answer that question, but
Fostering Change in Foster Care, with Jenell Jones
Jenell Jones and her family opened up their home to foster, and later adopt Mercy, an eight year old girl in need of a home. Mercy came with a secret, thou
Factual Fictions, with Lindsay Cameron
I love hearing how authors come up with the ideas for their books and today’s guest, bestselling author Lindsay Cameron, doesn’t disappoint. Listen in to h
Writing Collaboratively, with Andrea Bartz
I’m thrilled to welcome Andrea Bartz back on Uncorking a Story. This time we discuss her latest novel, The Spare Room, and a big revelation! Meet Andrea Bartz Andrea is a Brooklyn-based journalist and the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese's Book Club pick WE WERE NEV
Inside the Squared Circle, with Author Charlie Jenkins
When I was a kid, my brother Jimmy and I would watch wrestling all the time. The colorful characters, soap opera like drama, and high flying action had us
Taking Care while Giving Care, with Suzanne Marriott
What happens when "in sickness and in health" becomes "in sickness"? Today’s guest, author Suzanne Marriott addresses that question, and many others, in he
The Art and Science of Brand Transformation, with Emmanuel Probst
I’m thrilled to welcome author and executive Emmanuel Probst on Uncorking a Story. Emmanuel’s background combines over 16 years of market research and mark
Vulnerability In Fiction Writing: Advice From Hannah Halperin
In this podcast episode, Mike interviews author Hanna Halperin about her latest novel, I Could Live Here Forever.
Treating Trauma through Psychedelics, with Shannon Duncan
On today's episode of Uncorking a Story, Author Shannon Duncan discusses the use of psychedelics as a tool for healing trauma, particularly childhood traum
Flickering, with Pattiann Rogers
Pattiann Rogers has published fifteen collections of poetry and two book-length essay collections, The Dream of the Marsh Wren and The Grand Array: Writings on Nature, Science, and Spirit. She is the recipient of two NEA grants, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a 2005 Literary Award in P
Write from your Heart, with Karen White
In this podcast episode, Mike interviews Karen White, a successful author of Southern women's fiction with a paranormal twist. Karen shares her journey as
Standing Out, with Kristina Lucia
Have you ever felt like, at times, you are the black sheep of your family? You know, those times when you question why you are so different from everyone e
A Call to Action, with Kenneth Nixon Jr.
If there is one thing I’ve noticed that all pastors share in common, it’s the ability to tell a story, and Rev. Kenneth Nixon is no different. Kenneth join
Woman in the Field, with Brittany Butler
When she was in high school, Brittany Butler didn’t have dreams of working for the Central Intelligence Agency—she was a cheerleader and was in beauty page
Give Yourself Permission, with Jane Healey
Jane Healey isn’t just a successful author, she also has great taste in TV. During the course of this entertaining conversation, I uncorked her love for Th
The Real Bob Crane, with Carol Ford
Like many people of my generation, I grew up watching Hogan’s Heroes in reruns. Also like many people of my generation, I was shocked that Bob Crane, Colon
Let it Be, with Lauren Destefano
Just like the classic Let it Be by The Beatles, author Lauren Destefano shares many words of wisdom for authors in today’s episode of Uncorking a Story.
Loose Cannons, with Susan Reinhardt
Susan and I have three things in common; we are authors, we have a great sense of humor, and we both root against Duke basketball regardless of who they ar
Nine Times! With Audrey Carlan
I’ve interviewed many authors who were signed to muti-book deals very early in their careers—typically two or three book deals. Today’s guest on Uncorking
Wealth Beyond Numbers, with Tom Suvansri
Many of us define wealth by what we can quantify in our bank accounts, but today’s guest on Uncorking a Story, Tom Suvansri, thinks that’s way too limiting
Love Remembers, with Charlotte Maya
Charlotte Maya’s life was turned upside down when she arrived home from a hike with her children to find a police officer and priest waiting at her home. T
Tutto Bene, with Rose Patruno
Rose Patruno grew up in a very patriarchal society where her brother enjoyed many more freedoms than she did. Over time, this impacted her mental and physi
Finding the Fun, with Lina Chern
There is one thing that Lina Chern and I can wholeheartedly agree on and that’s the importance of having fun during the writing process. If what you are wr
Getting Curious, with Jill Santopolo
Sometimes, beauty comes from tragedy, which is the backstory to Jill Santopolo’s debut novel The Light We Lost, which she penned after going through a trau
Give it All You Got! With Lyn Liao Butler
Today’s guest on Uncorking a Story, Lyn Liao Butler, is the type of person who likes to have many irons in the fire. While working as a professional ballet
Letting Go, with Christopher Rice
One of the expressions my father is very fond of saying is, “Everything happens for a reason.” He’s also fond of saying, “If a problem can be solved with m
Flashpoints, with Cheryl A. Head
The sparks that ignite story ideas are almost always rooted in experience, emotion, and curiosity. Today’s guest on Uncorking a Story, award winning author
Finding the Love Within
If you are like me, when you hear the term lunch lady you immediately think of Adam Sandler and Chris Farley, but today’s guest on Uncorking a Story, Vanes
The Story of the Case, with William Landay
We can add today’s guest, William Landay, to the growing list of former lawyers turned authors who have come on Uncorking a Story to promote their work. Wh
Hang in There, with Cort Casady
Long-time listeners know that I’m the proud father of triplets and anyone who has seen me perform stand-up knows that I lean on my experiences raising them
Ticket to Ride, with Meg Stafford
Some may believe that an author’s superpower is in the ability to string the right words together, in the right order, and use correct punctuation. While a
Increasing Revenue, with Anthony Iannarino
As a small business owner, I’m always interested in how I can get better at sales, which is why I was so excited to speak with today’s guest, Anthony Ianna
Lessons from the Other Side
Vincent Tolman died for over 45 minutes, was revived by a rookie EMT, and came back from heaven with 10 life-changing principles about authenticity, love, and why relationships are all that matter.
Take That, Professor! With Donna Loughlin
Today’s guest on Uncorking a Story, Donna Loughlin, and I were both involved in the early days of the 90s dot.com bubble, in similar roles. I was working t
Reaching Performance Potential, with Elma Linz Kanefield
For anyone out there who feels crippling stage fright before having to perform in front of an audience, this episode is for you! Today’s guest, Licensed Cl
Ending Scarcity, with Kristen Ragusin
What if it was easy to stop living for money? To have the health, wealth, and life you dream of? And the solution had nothing to do with politics or outsid
Listen to the Voice, with Suzanne Roske
Have you ever experienced a little voice inside your head trying to tell you something? Did you ever wonder where that voice was coming from? Have you ever listened to it? Well, today’s guest on Uncorking a Story, Suzanne Roske, ignored that voice for a long time until it shouted
Getting Ambitious, with Glenn Kaplan
I share a few things in common with today’s esteemed guest on Uncorking a Story. Glenn Kaplan and I both worked at Foote, Cone, and Belding and we both liv
The Greatest Gift, with Edward Di Gangi
I love stories that involve cemeteries and libraries and today’s guest on Uncorking a Story has a one that involves both.
Challenging Conventions, with Jessica Weaver
I love a good story about people who break conventions and today’s guest on Uncorking a Story, Jessica Weaver, does just that. Shortly after getting starte
Declassified, with Sewall Menzel, Ph.D.
Today, we have a real treat for fans of US History. Today’s guest, Sewall Menzel, Ph.D., drops a bombshell about how President Roosevelt, playing the role
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 lo
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
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 Muse
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 ext
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 kin
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 ol
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 exec
7 Beliefs, with Mike Carlon
We have a tradition in my house on Christmas Eve where the five of us head to the family room after dinner and watch The Polar Express. Even though the kid
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 s
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 Hist
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 definit
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 ulte
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 qualitativ
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 ro
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 ar
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 spi
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 say
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 w
Freedom through Surrender, with Brian O'Hare
I believe that, no matter how old we are, we never stop trying to secure the approval of one or both of our parents. While my twin brother was always searc
From Physics to Prose, with Dilani Kahawala
Most people who now make their living as authors had a day job at some point. It is common for me to interview former teachers, professors, journalists and
The Human Perspective, with Alli Frank and Asha Youmans
For so many of us writers, the actual act of writing is a solitary process. We write alone and maybe, after a while we will share something with a confidan
Quiet on the Set, with Lygia Day Peñaflor
How well do you remember high school? Chances are you are more likely to remember the big events that happened—prom, the homecoming dance where you spilled
Taking the Red Pill, with Suzanne Yatim Aslam
Parenting is supposed to come naturally to us, right? Especially moms! After the baby (or babies in my case) arrives, those motherhood instincts are suppos
Such Sharp Teeth, with Rachel Harrison
In my opinion, werewolves don’t get enough attention in the horror genre. Vampires are a bit higher on the food chain as are traditional slashers, but when
The Stories of Ourselves, with Barbara Linn Probst
After interviewing almost two hundred authors on Uncorking a Story I’ve come to believe that the real superpower authors wield isn’t their ability to strin
Give it a Go, with Clare Pooley
Today’s guest, Clare Pooley, and I share a few things in common. We both have backgrounds in advertising, we were both bloggers before becoming authors, an
Throwing the Bones, with Jeannée Sacken
I remember being called home from school during my senior year in High School because my grandmother, who lived with us at the time, had slipped into a com
Mysterious Ways, with Kamila Shamsie
U2’s seminal album Achtung Baby was released during my senior year in high school. At the time, I was a huge fan and didn’t know what to make of this new r
Back to the Beginning, with Robert Kerbeck
I spent most of my corporate career working in the area of market research. In short, I talk to consumers for a living and then turn their stories into nar
The Waiting, with Ali Michael, PH.D.
As writers, we are eager for feedback and validation that something we’ve birthed has value and waiting for it, to paraphrase the late Tom Petty, is someti
Moving Around, with Ellen Nichols
I remember being a kid never rushing away after big holiday dinners as I enjoyed listening to the adults tell stories. My twin brother was always bored by
Humanizing Brands, with Sarah Panus
I love connecting with fellow marketers. I love it even more when those fellow marketers are also fellow podcasters! I’m not ashamed to admit it, when toda
Owning Your Destiny, with Kelley Holland
Way back in 1985, my sister Mia took my twin brother Jimmy and me to see Back to the Future. Shortly after leaving the theater, her car ran out of gas and
Getting Smart, with Maya Smart
I remember the days before our triplets could read and I’d spend at least an hour between the three of them reading stories every night. By the time I got
Till I Drop, with Joy Jordan Lake
One thing stayed with me after my conversation with Joy Jordan Lake. She opened up to me about how a fear of failure as a writer prevented her from fully e
Leaving Home Behind, with Abdulrazak Gurnah
Prior to meeting Nobel Prize winning author Abdulrazak Gurnah a few weeks ago, the only thing I knew about his home country of Zanzibar was that Freddie Me
Flipping the Script, with Steve Borys
Do you wonder why bad things always seem to happen to good people? Do you want to know how to overcome adversity and become successful despite terrible odd
Where the Sky Begins, with Rhys Bowen
Many years ago I was taking guitar lessons with a great teacher named Ken Volpe, or Master Ken as I liked to call him. When shooting the breeze over a song
Love and Murder, with Alicia Thompson
When I was eighteen, I was very clear on what I wanted to be when I grew up—a psychologist. Two people are to blame for my fascination in this social scien
Mass Class, with Fr. Dave Dwyer, CSP
I’ll admit it, I became a subscriber to Sirius XM when Howard Stern left terrestrial radio for satellite. One evening, though, on a long drive from Boston
Catching a Wave, with Lauren Forsythe
Sometimes when I’m writing I get into what I call "The Zone." Time seems to stop and I’m only pulled out of it when my presence is missed, which is a nice
From Outsider to Insider, with David Pepper
I’ve interviewed a lot of lawyers turned authors on Uncorking a Story but who I haven’t interviewed is a lawyer turned author who received a call from form
Forgiveness is Freedom, with Giovanni Ruscitti
For the past twenty years, I’ve been the father of triplets and so much of my identity is tied to my role as father. But what happens when they fly the nes
Just Keep Going, with Sangu Mandanna
About Sangu Mandanna: Sangu was four years old when an elephant chased her down a forest road and she decided to write her first story about it. Seventeen
Timeless Maverick, with Allison Gilbert
Allison is an award-winning journalist and author of numerous books including Passed and Present and Parentless Parents. Her forthcoming book, Listen, Worl
Happy Little Accidents, with Katherine Linn Caire
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 w
Runaway Train, with Ava Glass
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
Seeing in Color, with Annette Libeskind Berkovits
Every now and then I uncork a story that just won’t leave me and Annette Libeskind Berkovits’ story is exactly one of those.
Addressing Shame, with Jim Young
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 Coac
Mindset is a Muscle, with Carrington Smith
About Carrington Smith: Carrington Smith is a single mom, attorney, business owner, and executive search professional. Despite being born with a silver spo
Enjoying The Ride, with David Bell
About David Bell: David is the USA Today-bestselling author of twelve novels from Berkley/Penguin, including THE FINALISTS, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, THE REQ
If Not Now, When? with KJ Dell'Antonia
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 exp
Sophie Irwin: Fortune Hunting
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
Fortune Hunting, with Sophie Irwin
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
Going Off Script, with Annabel Monaghan
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.
Keeping it Hot with Ashleigh Renard
About Ashleigh Renard: As a figure skating coach and choreographer, Ashleigh Renard spent two decades building trust and fostering teamwork, growing her sy
Ripple Effects, with Johnny Sirpilla
Every now and then I uncork a story that simply inspires the hell out of me—and this is one of those stories.
Inner Voices with Sandra Butler
About Sandra Butler: Sandra is the author of several books, each designed to identify something unspoken and move those issues into the public conversation
At the Seat of your Pants, with Anastasia Zadeik
Anastasia Zadeik is an author, editor, and narrative nonfiction storyteller. When she’s not reading or writing, you’ll find her practicing yoga, hiking, bi
Writing with the Door Closed, with Eleanor Brown
Eleanor Brown is the New York Times bestselling author of The Weird Sisters and The Light of Paris, and the editor of the anthology, A Paris All Your Own.
Rewired, with Carl Marci, M.D.
Dr. Carl Marci is a leader in the fields of social and consumer neuroscience and serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Cava Capital. Formerly the Chief Ne
Give Me Some Sugar, with David Winkler
About David Winkler: David comes from Hollywood royalty and is a very successful film producer. His work includes the films Creed, Rocky Balboa, and The Me
Make it Happen, with J.R. Harris
Robert Harris (JR) has been exploring and backpacking long distance for more than 60 years in some of the most remote and inhospitable wilderness areas in
Building Credibility, with Michael DeLon
As the president of Paperback Expert, Michael DeLon helps business owners publish a book that positions them as the expert in their field. He recently join
Stolen Moments, with May Cobb
May Cobb earned her MA in literature from San Francisco State University, and her essays and interviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the Rumpus, E
Full Circle, with Fabian Nicieza
Fabian is a comic book writer and editor who is best known as the co-creator of Marvel's Deadpool and for his work on titles such as X-Men, X-Force, New Warriors, Cable, and Thunderbolts. He is the author of Suburban Dicks, a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by a
I Saw the Sign with Eileen Brill
About Eileen Brill: Eileen is a painter, writer, and Sign Language Interpreter who grew up outside of Philadelphia and graduated from Carnegie Mellon with
Writing is Therapy, with Elissa Grossell Dickey
Elissa Grossel Dickey is a former journalist who now works in higher education communications. She has shared her journey of living with multiple sclerosis
Paying it Forward, with Rochelle Weinstein
Rochelle Weinstein is the USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of emotionally driven women’s fiction, including This Is Not How It Ends, Somebody’s Daug
The Final Hurdle, with Jade Beer
Jade Beer is an award-winning editor, journalist, and novelist who has worked across the UK national press for more than twenty years. Most recently, she w
Getting Angry, with Sandra Feder
Sandra Feder is a graduate of Stanford University and is an MFA candidate in the Writing for Children and Young Adults program at the Vermont College of Fi
Just Between Us, with Allison Raskin
About Allison Raskin: Alison is a New York Times best-selling author. She is also the co-host of the popular podcast, Just Between Us and co-creator of a Y
Yes, And...with Kelly Leonard of The Second City
Kelly Leonard is the Executive Director of Insights and Applied Improvisation at The Second City. He began his Second City career in 1988, eventually becom
Telling Lies, with E. Lockhart
E Lockhart is the author of We Were Liars, Genuine Fraud, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks and a number of other novels. She joins me today
American Blues, with Polly Hamilton Hilsabeck
Polly was in the second wave of women ordained priest in the Episcopal Church. Her book, American Blues, is available wherever books are sold.
In the Moment, with Merle Saferstein
As the director of educational outreach at the Holocaust Documentation and Education Center for twenty-six years, Merle Saferstein worked closely with hund
Nouns and Verbs with Marilyn Simon Rothstein
About Marilyn Simon Rothstein: Marilyn is the author of Lift and Separate and Husbands and Other Sharp Objects. She is the winner of the Star Award present
Now it's Your Turn, with Kristan Higgins
Kristan Higgins has sold 4.5 million books worldwide, scored nine New York Times bestsellers, and is published in more than two dozen languages. Her novels
Keeping the Faith, with Shaun Phillips
Shaun Phillips is a Christian author, speaker, coach, and pioneer. His first book, Flappy and Whiskers go to the Park, was published August 2021, ten after
Road Tripping, with P. David Ebersole
About P. David Ebersole: He is an award-winning independent filmmaker and television director working in both narrative and documentary.
Coming of Age with Kurt and Ellie Johnson
About Kurt and Ellie: Kurt and Ellie are a father daughter combo team who have authored the book The Barrens: A novel of love and death in the canadian arc
Night Swimming with Farhoud Meybodi
About Farhoud: Farhoud is an award-winning writer, director, and executive producer focused on storytelling projects that inspire mass culture change.
Love Wins with Lauren McBrayer
In life, we often have to pivot to become the person we are meant to be. This insight hit me like a slap in the face when I spoke with Lauren McBrayer abou
Monkeying Around with Carleton Eastlake
About Carleton Eastlake: Carleton graduated from UCLA with degrees in political science and psychology and graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School with
Come Together, with Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson
About Kathleen and Liz: Kathleen is the author of the New York Times Bestselling novel Girl in Pieces, How to Make friends with the dark, and You’d Be Home
What If, with Sascha Rothchild
About Sascha: Sascha is an Emmy-nominated screenwriter, who has written and produced lauded shows such as GLOW, The Bold Type, The Baby-Sitters Club, and T
Write Until The End with Tess Gerritsen
About Tess: With over forty million copies sold, New York Times bestselling thriller writer Tess Gerritsen is widely known for her Rizzoli & Isles novels,
Hitting Flow with Michelle Huneven
About Michelle: Michelle Huneven is the author of four novels: Round Rock, Jamesland, Blame, and Off Course. Her books have been New York Times Notable Boo
Happy Endings with RaeAnne Thayne
About RaeAnne: RaeAnne Thayne is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly's bestselling author of more than 70 novels. She graduated from colle
Taking Small Steps with Colleen Hubbard
About Colleen: A native of New England, Colleen Hubbard now lives in the U.K. with her family. She wrote her debut novel, Housebreaking, while on maternity
Choosing Happiness, with James Crews
I seriously thought I was the only person on the planet who remembered the show Small Wonder, but today’s guest proved me wrong! As part of getting to the
Believe in Yourself, with Moshe Mikanovsky
When I worked at the consumer products giant Unilever, I got an insider’s view into how products go from the idea stage all the way to being available for
Don't Waste It, with Laura Trujillo
I have another confession to make, I hated reading newspapers when I was younger. They were always in black and white and just seemed so boring. Then I dis
So, How do we Begin? With Steve Fretzin
When I was early in my career, I had this recurring anxiety dream where all my teeth would fall out, one at a time. Later in my life, that dream morphed in
Igniting Empathy, with Rob Volpe
When I was a kid, I used to dread gym class. My Physical Education teacher was fond of picking two captains for opposing teams, typically the most athletic
Lightning Strikes, with Chandler Bolt
I remember being in business school and learning about successful founders who left college to start their businesses without a degree. People like Bill Ga
Mother and Child Reunion, with Laura Engel
All families have secrets. The big one in my family, at least for me anyway, was the fact that my older brother Greg was adopted.
Dear Mom, with Kim Dower
I was able to spend some time with my parents earlier this week. A last-minute business trip brought me down to Florida and, instead of staying near my cli
We'll Always have Paris, with Juliet Blackwell
When I was in college, I studied psychology because I was fascinated by the mind-body connection. I wanted to understand what made people tick and why they
The Invisible Places, with Matthew Fray
Matthew Fray is a relationship coach and writer who leans on the lessons of his failed marriage and divorce to help others avoid making the same mistakes h
If You Were Me, with John Saunders
Imagine that one simple, humbling question could change the trajectory of your career forever. By simply asking his clients, “What would you do if you were
Finding Your Path, with Linda Griffin
One of the biggest challenges for a new author is to find their voice while writing something that will make a difference in the world. That's why Linda Gr
Following the Human Herd, with Beth Anstandig
Every now and then I get a reminder that I’m only human, and that reminder came in the introduction to this episode where I mispronounce the title of my gu
First Time Fiction, with Matthew Necci
Over the years on Uncorking a Story, I’ve interviewed many lawyers who have tapped into their creative side and written a debut novel and I can now add Mat
Just Do It, with Karen White
The stories my father has told me about his childhood are ones that have stayed with me. There are stories about the ice cream shop he worked in, the prank
Life's a Beach, with Carol Finizza
Imagine walking into a newspaper editor’s office, interviewing for a job as a sportswriter having never written a sports related article before, getting th
Meet the Un-Writer, with Debby Applegate
I have a confession to make–I always wanted to be a gameshow host; unfortunately, I have a face for radio. I always saw myself hosting Jeopardy and if ther
Making Love, and Not Porn, with Cindy Gallop
I’ve been following Cindy Gallop for some time on LinkedIn—she’s one of those LinkedIn influencers who certainly takes the boring out of the platform. If there is one word that I would use to describe her, it’s provocative, and I know that I’m not alone in feeling that way—she ca
Make Love, Not Porn, with Cindy Gallop
I’ve been following Cindy Gallop for some time on LinkedIn—she’s one of those LinkedIn influencers who certainly takes the boring out of the platform. If t
Life is the Curveball, with Aileen Weintraub
Many of you long-time listeners know that I’m the proud father of triplets—the fact that they are turning twenty in a few short weeks is mindboggling to me
The Devil Made Me Do It, With Lynn Hightower
I’ve always been fascinated by tales of demonic possession. I fully realize that is an odd thing to admit, but it’s true. I’ve seen The Exorcist more times
When Inspiration Strikes, with Nita Prose
Have you ever had a chance encounter with someone who changed your life forever? Nita Prose did and wrote a bestseller about it. Allowing herself to follow
Starting Fires, with April Bell
Imagine having a tool at your disposal that could help spark innovation and that this magical tool didn’t require capital investment. Now imagine that we a
Welcome to Swingtown, with Ashleigh Renard
Are you someone who has a hard time putting themselves first? Do you have a hard time vocalizing what your needs are? Many of us who answer yes to both of
Best of Episode: Pivot to the Pulpit, with Fr. Dave Dwyer
Welcome to the first ever best of episode of Uncorking a Story. Today, we revisit our first ever episode with Fr. Dave Dwyer, who talks about how he pivoted from working in comedy to becoming a Catholic priest after hearing a calling at a World Youth Day. I hope you find this sto
Full Court Press, with William "Sully" Sullivan
William Sullivan, known as Sully to his friends, is a former Division 1 basketball coach who discovered a love of Shakespeare later in life. He penned his
Put Me in, Coach—with Kendall Smith
Growing up without a father figure can be difficult for someone who has no other male role models in their lives. Author Kendall Smith, son of a single mot
Coaching Authors to Success, with Claudia Volkman
An editor should be an author’s best friend, but oftentimes authors view editors as taskmasters. Editor and author coach Claudia Volkman wants to smash thi
Why Passion Projects Save Lives
Filmmaker Jason Reid returns to discuss his documentary Shift: Do What Moves You, why hobbies and passion projects can literally save lives, and how parents can support their kids' mental health through creative outlets.
Vulnerability is not Weakness, with Jason Reid
There is a rise in anxiety and depression among teens resulting from several factors including increased pressures on kids to succeed, unrealistic expectat
Getting off the Crazy Train, with Lori Jean Glass
Is it possible that a simple phone could change your life? This is where Lori Jean Glass’ story begins, in a Chicago hotel room where she had suicidal thou
Pulling no Punches, with Rea Frey
One of the biggest misnomers in publishing is that there are overnight successes. Being a writer requires hard work, creativity, and persistence. All autho
Love Thyself, with Lauren Dollie Duke
Is it possible to experience healing after having a traumatic childhood characterized by neglect, sexual assault, and crime? The answer is yes, but it take
Episode 11—The Nude Bomb
In this first episode of our second season, Mike and Jim discuss the 1980 comedy The Nude Bomb—the first feature film based on the 1960s TV comedy Get Smar
The Heart of Resilience, with Kaira Rouda
As the daughter of a college professor, Kaira Rouda moved around a lot as a kid. Being constantly thrust into new environments helped her develop the resil
Love is in the Air, with Jill Shalvis
What happens when you skip doing your chemistry homework so that you can read historical romance novels? You might not learn about the substances of which
Playing God, with Elizabeth George
Authors get to play God when writing a character. We shape them, give them characteristics to make them memorable, and ultimately control their destiny. El
Art is Medicine, with Aliana Kann Michals
Art is medicine—that’s the core message that poet, musician, and artist Aliana Kann Michals wants to convey with her forthcoming poetry collection entitled
Let's Talk About Sex with Kathy Kay
I’ve had many different types of storytellers on Uncorking a Story including authors, comedians, and filmmakers. What I haven’t had yet is one of the most
Michael Macari talks rock and roll and the birth of Christ
Out of the many guests I’ve hosted on Uncorking a Story, Michael Macari may have one of the most varied tales to tell. The son of immigrant parents, he was in Adonis, an up and coming rock band that was just about to feel the sensation of stardom with a record contract until a ki
Michael Macari
Out of the many guests I’ve hosted on Uncorking a Story, Michael Macari may have one of the most varied tales to tell. The son of immigrant parents, he was
Surviving Suicide, with Nadine Crocker
Nadine Crocker survived a suicide attempt when she was 23 years old. After leaving home at 16 to pursue a career in front of the camera, maybe she thought
Nadine Crocker
Nadine Crocker survived a suicide attempt when she was 23 years old. After leaving home at 16 to pursue a career in front of the camera, maybe she thought
Good grief and hot monogamy with Cindy Finch
Cindy Finch is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who specializes in helping people through their darkest times. She trained at the Mayo Clinic and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, HuffPost, and CURE magazine. A survivor of traumatic life events, Cindy writes and
Author and LCSW Cindy Finch
Cindy Finch is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who specializes in helping people through their darkest times. She trained at the Mayo Clinic and h
The power of storytelling with Fred John
C. Frederic John enjoys a global reputation as a strategic researcher with a career spanning over 40 years. He specializes in melding profound insights into concrete recommendations for clients, and in crafting compelling research deliverables using story-telling techniques. Fred
Fred John
C. Frederic John enjoys a global reputation as a strategic researcher with a career spanning over 40 years. He specializes in melding profound insights int
Talking reconciliation with Laura Davis
In her 30+ year career as an author, Laura Davis has written seven non-fiction books that have changed peoples’ lives. The Courage to Heal paved the way for hundreds of thousands to heal from the trauma of sexual abuse. Becoming the Parent You Want to Be helps parents develop a v
Laura Davis
In her 30+ year career as an author, Laura Davis has written seven non-fiction books that have changed peoples’ lives. The Courage to Heal paved the way fo
Fly over state love stories with Kris Clink
Kris Clink is the author of Goodbye, Lark Lovejoy and Sissie Klein is Completely Normal, which have received praise from Bustle, Midwest Book Review, Kirkus Reviews, Women.com, Lone Star Literary, Brit + Co, Travel and Leisure Magazine, and Entertainment Weekly, among others. Set
Kris Clink
Kris Clink is the author of Goodbye, Lark Lovejoy and Sissie Klein is Completely Normal, which have received praise from Bustle, Midwest Book Review, Kirku
Reyna Marder Gentin
Have you ever wondered why there are so many legal dramas on TV? I know I’m dating myself here but off the top of my head I can think of LA Law, Boston Leg
Running into (not down) a dream with J.M. Thompson
When I was presented with the opportunity to interview J.M. Thompson about his memoir, Running is a Kind of Dreaming, I sprinted to say yes for two reasons; I’m an avid runner and wanted to know what inspired the title and it deals with mental health issues, specifically men’s me
J.M. Thompson
When I was presented with the opportunity to interview J.M. Thompson about his memoir, Running is a Kind of Dreaming, I sprinted to say yes for two reasons
When the FBI shows up at the door, with John Vandemoer
Imagine you are a father of two young children going through your morning routine of getting them—and yourself—ready for the day when there’s a knock at the door and the intimidating people right out of central casting on the other side are about to share news that will rock your
John Vandemoer
Imagine you are a father of two young children going through your morning routine of getting them—and yourself—ready for the day when there’s a knock at th
Business Lessons from Rock and Roll with Jay Jay French
This has been a hell of a week...and it’s only Tuesday.
Jay Jay French
This has been a hell of a week...and it’s only Tuesday.
Tackling imposter syndrome with Heather Frimmer
After a brief hiatus between seasons, I’m happy to report that Uncorking a Story is back for its 5th season. Our first episode features a great conversation I had with Heather Frimmer whose second novel, Better to Trust, will be released on Tuesday, September 21st. As a young wom
Author (and Radiologist) Heather Frimmer
After a brief hiatus between seasons, I’m happy to report that Uncorking a Story is back for its 5th season. Our first episode features a great conversatio
Putting laughter on call with Dani Klein Modisett
Dani Klein Modisett is a comedian, actor, and author of the book “Take My Spouse, Please,” about how to create shared laughter to keep your marriage happy and healthy. That book was preceded by 2009’s “Afterbirth...stories you won’t read in Parents magazine.” Additionally, her wr
Author and Comedian Dani Klein Modisett
I was introduced to Dani Klein Modisett by my friend Megan Harvist, who you might know as Autumn Harvist—the stage name she employs while making people lau
Writing Collaboratively, with Bestselling Author Andrea Bartz
I’m thrilled to welcome Andrea Bartz back on Uncorking a Story. This time we discuss her latest novel, The Spare Room, and a big revelation!
Andrea Bartz
Andrea Bartz is a Brooklyn-based journalist and author of the forthcoming WE WERE NEVER HERE. Her second thriller, THE HERD, was named a best book of 2020
Leah Konen
Lea Konen is the author of All the Broken People and of several young adult novels, including Love and Other Train Wrecks and The Romantics. She is a gradu
Shari Lapena
Shari Lapena is the internationally bestselling author of the thrillers The Couple Next Door, A Stranger in the House, An Unwanted Guest, Someone We Know,
Jessica Chiarella
Jessica Chiarella is the author of And Again. She holds an MA in writing and publishing from DePaul University and an MFA in creative writing from the Univ
Christina Baker Kline
A #1 New York Times bestselling author of eight novels, including The Exiles, Orphan Train, and A Piece of the World, Christina Baker Kline is published in
Noel Obiora
Nigerian born and raised debut mystery author Noel Obiora watched the George Floyd video and said to himself, That could have been me. Having come to the U
Mary Dixie Carter
Mary Dixie is the daughter of Designing Women star Dixie Carter and step-daughter of Hal Holbrook. Her writing has appeared in Time, The Economist, San Fra
Anne Basting, Ph.D.
Anne Basting, Ph.D. is an artist, scholar, and educator committed to the power of the arts and culture to transform our lives as individuals and communitie
Marilyn Peterson Haus
Marilyn Peterson Haus’ story begins when she was born in 1941 on a farm on the Minnesota Plains. Twins, mental illness, sexism/favoritism, religion, farm l
Author David Yoon
David Yoon grew up in Orange County, California, and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife, novelist Nicola Yoon, and their daughter. He drew the illustrations for Nicola's #1 New York Times bestseller Everything, Everything. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Fra
David Yoon
David Yoon grew up in Orange County, California, and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife, novelist Nicola Yoon, and their daughter. He drew the illustra
Aug Stone
This is the one where I talk to author, musician, and comic Aug Stone about his newly released memoir, Nick Cave’s Bar. Don’’t feel bad if you don’t know who Nick Cave is because I wasn’t cool enough to know of him either. The important thing here is that Aug and his friend Andy
Author Alta Ifland
Alta Ifland was born in Transylvania (Romania), took part in the overthrow of Romania's communist dictatorship, and experienced two years of post-communism
Author and Performer Laura Hankin
Laura Hankin is the author of Happy & You Know It and A Special Place for Women. Her musical comedy has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and more. She splits her time between NYC, where she has performed off-Broadway, and Washington, D.C., where she once
Performer and Author Laura Hankin
Laura Hankin is the author of Happy & You Know It and A Special Place for Women. Her musical comedy has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington
Litigator turned author, Christina Sweeney-Baird
Christina Sweeney-Baird lives in London where she works full-time as a corporate litigation lawyer. Listen in as we discuss her debut novel, The End of Men
Joshua M. Greene
Joshua M Greene is a popular lecturer on Holocaust History and an author whose biographies have sold more than half a million copies worldwide. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his books and films. He sits on the board of Yale University Video Archive for Holocaust Test
Holocaust Scholar, Author, and Filmmaker Joshua M. Greene
Joshua M. GreeneJoshua M Greene is a popular lecturer on Holocaust History and an author whose biographies have sold more than half a million copies worldw
The Little Things
An interview I did this week got me to thinking about how little things can make a big difference. This one Uncorks a story about U2 and a Bodega owner I met this week whose business is being threatened by the pandemic. Listen in to see the connection between them. Trust me, it w
Do the Hustle
While interviewing author Christina Sweeney-Baird about her debut novel The End of Men, I started thinking about how most authors, and other creators in the arts including comics and actors, have to work additional jobs long before they can earn a living off of their art. Christi
Author Julie Ryan McGue
Julie Ryan McGue was born in Chicago, Illinois. She and her identical twin sister were adopted together. Her debut memoir, Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging is about the search for birth relatives. Listen in as we discuss what prompted her to find her
Author Julie McGue
Julie Ryan McGueJulie Ryan McGue was born in Chicago, Illinois. She and her identical twin sister were adopted together. Her debut memoir, Twice a Daughter
The Lost Art of Letter Writing
This past weekend, my sister gave me one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received—a stack of letters I had written to my grandparents back in the 1980s. This inspired me to record and share this episode with you. Reaching out and touching someone used to mean picking up
Always Give 100%
This week I sat in on the first of hopefully many episodes of Comedy Roads, an online show featuring interviews with established stand up comedians reflecting on their path to success. It's hosted by the one and only Bob DiBuono. A-Lister Eddie Brill told a story about performing
The Ruin of Souls Chapter 1
Today we are going to switch gears a bit as I'd like to share with you the first chapter of my latest book The Ruin of Souls. Now look, I'm not a professional voiceover artist nor am I an audio engineer, so keep both in mind as you listen in. If you like what you hear and want to
Jim Carlon Part 2
Jim Carlon Part 2 of my interview with Jim Carlon about his book Conversation with a Desperate Man: A book for any man on the brink; and anyone who loves h
Jim Carlon Part 1
James Carlon"I had people in my life and people I worked with who looked at me and said, ‘you don’t look right.’ — Jim Carlon
Betting on Yourself
All the news about the surge in GameStop’s share price got me to thinking just how much money is made when institutional investors bet on companies to lose. To me there’s an amorality there and I just don’t like it. I’d rather bet on someone to win. And that got me to thinking ab
Why is it so hard for men to make lifestyle changes?
I had a conversation with an old friend and prospective client last week about a challenge her business is facing—attracting men to use their service. They have a new spokesperson they’ve tapped to help with that effort, but they have no idea what he should be saying to raise int
Author Olga Grushin
Olga Grushin"The Charmed Wife is a modern take on the story of Cinderella, marriage, divorce and love that’s surprising, darkly comedic and enchanting."— C
Enjoying the Journey
When I was a kid, we used to take these road trips from Connecticut to Florida to visit my grandparents. I know that may sound like a huge waste of time when you can just fly there in a little over two hours, but the fact is we remember more about the adventures we had on those c
Reinvention
I heard Johnny Cash’s cover of Nine Inch Nails’ Hurt yesterday and it got me thinking about how important it is to reinvent oneself periodically. We live on a planet that does not stay still. It spins on its axis causing day and night. It circles around a star, moving through tim
Finding Meaning
I was introduced to the work of Viktor Frankl as an undergraduate student studying psychology. His book, Man’s Search for Meaning, is divided into two parts; the first is a memoir of his experiences living in a concentration camp during World War II and the second details his the
Born to Run
While 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 conversa
Overcoming Resentment
I can’t think of a year wrought with more challenges than 2020. I certainly wouldn’t blame anyone for being resentful over the missed milestones including graduations, proms, or for having to delay major life events including weddings or even big trips that were planned. Here’s t
Who's in Your Corner?
Last night I got a text from my cousin Danny who told me that he was watching It’s a Wonderful Life and that sparked a memory of a piece that I had published in my local paper, The Stamford Advocate, eight years ago which was entitled The Gift of Encouragement. Listen in as I ref
Overcoming Limitations
Last week I spoke with a Bostonian named Mary who took a trip to Jamaica during Covid where she was dubbed The White Oprah. Mary lives with Multiple Sclerosis and my conversation with her reminded me about a few things. Life is about weighing risk and reward. Mary has MS and is c
There's Always a Yes
Recently, I caught up with my former boss and mentor Shelley Zalis who is probably the most positive person I’ve ever met in my life. In our conversation, she reminded me how important it is to go after what you want, to always get the deal (however the getting the deal is define
Raise Your Hands
This week, while doing some interviews for a travel client, I met a young man named Matthew reminded me that there is joy in service. My conversation with him got me to thinking about how my mother, the church lady of Stamford, CT, would “volunteer” me and my brother Jimmy for va
Playing Against Type
Last week I reconnected with an old college friend, Kevin Savage, who recently wrote a post on his blog that got me to thinking about the things that are really important in life. It also reminded me of some conversations I had with three strangers who reminded me how important i
A Leap of Faith
When I was a kid, sometimes TV shows would have the very special episode, which would deal with a difficult or controversial subject. Do you remember these? Topics dealt with things such as AIDS, teen pregnancy, or drug use. Memorable ones include The Bicycle Man on Different Str
Nick Braccia
Nick Braccia is a Cannes Lions- and Clio-winning writer, director, and producer. In 2018, he co-created and co-executive produced the horror podcast Video Palace for AMC Network's streaming service Shudder. While working at the marketing agency Campfire, he helped to develop imme
Nick Braccia, author of Off the Back of a Truck: Unofficial Contraband for the Sopranos Fan
Nick Braccia is a Cannes Lions- and Clio-winning writer, director, and producer. In 2018, he co-created and co-executive produced the horror podcast Video
The Otto Penzler Interview
Otto Penzler is regarded as the world's foremost authority on crime, mystery and suspense fiction. He founded The Mysterious Press in 1975, which he later
Jess Stainbrook
Jess StainbrookJess is known for building successful media teams and championing significant visual storytelling efforts through innovative programming and
Jess Stainbrook, Emmy Award Winning Filmmaker and Executive Director of the Invisible Disabilities® Association
There is no doubt that the combination of Covid and what is going on in cities throughout the country has created more than the usual amount of stress in m
Author Dustin Lawson
It’s not every day that I get to talk to someone as interesting and, dare I say, enlightened as author Dustin Lawson. I’m excited to announce that today wa
Best-Selling Author Matt Haig
Matt Haig is a British author for children and adults. His memoir Reasons to Stay Alive was a number one bestseller, staying in the British top ten for 46 weeks. His children's book, A Boy Called Christmas, was a runaway hit in his own country and has been translated in over 25 l
Author Matt Haig
Matt Haig is a British author for children and adults. His memoir Reasons to Stay Alive was a number one bestseller, staying in the British top ten for 46
Dan Hill
Dan Hill is the author of eight books including Famous Faces Decoded: A Guidebook for Reading Others; Two Cheers for Democracy: How Emotions Drive Leadership Style; and First Blush: People's Intuitive Reactions to Famous Art. His specialty is analyzing the power of emotions to sh
Author and facial coding expert Dan Hill
Dan Hill is the author of eight books including Famous Faces Decoded: A Guidebook for Reading Others; Two Cheers for Democracy: How Emotions Drive Leadersh
Pat Oates
Pat Oates is a comedian, author, podcaster and comedy advice writer. He has been performing stand-up comedy for over 12 years and has appeared on TLC's Ext
The Diane O'Connell Interview
All I had to do was love them.
Dawn Carpenter of The We Project
Over the past few years, I’ve used the Uncorking a Story platform to highlight the work of authors, comedians, and entrepreneurs. I’ve become increasingly interested in uncorking the stories of people who are doing inspiring work in their local communities and that brings me to t
Dawn Carpenter and The We Project
Over the past few years, I’ve used the Uncorking a Story platform to highlight the work of authors, comedians, and entrepreneurs. I’ve become increasingly
Aug Stone
This is the one where I talk to author, musician, and comic Aug Stone about his newly released memoir, Nick Cave’s Bar.
Comedian Frank Murgalo
Sit tight and strap in because this inaugural episode of the Open Mike Podcast starts in Brooklyn, takes a trip to Paris Island, and involves hookers, practical jokes on a national scale, and an angry Russian woman who apparently doesn’t like horse racing in the Poconos. That’s b
Comedian Nick Breen
Nick Breen is a Connecticut Based comic who, on the surface, appears to be a passenger on the crazy train, but once you get to know him you realize he’s in complete control of the ride. He’s one of the most ambitious comics on the Connecticut circuit and perhaps one of the most i
Nick Breen
Nick Breen is a Connecticut Based comic who, on the surface, appears to be a passenger on the crazy train, but once you get to know him you realize he’s in
Frank Murgalo
Murgalo, (right) as Prince Imir Assad with Jerry Rubin (left)Sit tight and strap in because this inaugural episode of the Open Mike Podcast starts in Brook
Author David Bell
David Bell is the USA Today-bestselling author of eight novels from Berkley/Penguin, including Layover, released on July 2nd 2019.
Dr. Colleen Georges
From as far back as she can remember, Colleen Georges, Ph.D. felt a calling to help others. It led her to pursue a doctorate in counseling psychology and serve as a Therapeutic Assistant for teens in foster care experiencing emotional/behavioral issues. Currently, she helps her c
Dr. Colleen Georges, Author of RESCRIPT the Story You’re Telling Yourself
From as far back as she can remember, Colleen Georges, Ph.D. felt a calling to help others. It led her to pursue a doctorate in counseling psychology and
Karen Mangia Author of Success with Less
Early in her career, Karen Mangia followed a very conventional formula for success—say yes to everything, deliver with excellence, and never let them see y
Author and Salesforce Executive Karen Mangia, Recorded Live from IIEX in Austin, TX
Karen Mangia is a WSJ Best Selling Author and one of the most sought after thought leaders in the world, sharing her thought leadership with over 10,000 or
Laura Vanderkam
Laura Vanderkam helps people spend more time on what matters, and less on what doesn’t. She is the bestselling author of What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast and Off The Clock, among others. Her 2016 TED talk, "How to Gain Control of Your Free Time," has been viewe
Laura Vanderkam, Author of Juliet's School of Possibilities
Laura Vanderkam helps people spend more time on what matters, and less on what doesn’t.
Kevin Knight
Look up the term Renaissance man in the dictionary, and I’m sure you will see a picture of Kevin A Knight. He started his own company and serves as an independent marketing research consultant to many leading global corporations. He’s also an avid runner and said goodbye to his r
Kevin A. Knight Author of Connections in the Raw: Musings of a Barefoot Runner
Look up the term Renaissance man in the dictionary, and I’m sure you will see a picture of Kevin A Knight. He started his own company and serves as an inde
Singer, Songwriter, and Author Zaida Alfaro
Zaida Alfaro is the youngest of six children and was born into art. Her mother is a painter, composer, and musician who taught Zaida how to play the piano at the age of twelve. She became a professional musician at eighteen and, having been burned by a bad recording contract, is
Professional singer, songwriter, and author Zaida Alfaro
Zaida Alfaro is the youngest of six children and was born into art. Her mother is a painter, composer, and musician who taught Zaida how to play the piano
Tony Pavia and Matt Pavia
Tony Pavia is a retired American history teacher and the former principal of Stamford High School, Trinity Catholic High School, and New Canaan High School. Matt Pavia, his son, teaches English and American studies at Darien High School in Connecticut. Together, they collaborated
Tony Pavia and Matt Pavia Authors of An American Town and the Vietnam War: Stories of Service from Stamford, Connecticut
Tony Pavia is a retired American history teacher and the former principal of Stamford High School, Trinity Catholic High School, and New Canaan High School
New York Times Bestselling Author Jane Green
Jane Green is the author of nineteen novels, including seventeen New York Times Bestsellers, one cookbook, and various short stories. She is published in o
Bestselling Author Jane Green
Jane Green is the author of nineteen novels, including seventeen New York Times Bestsellers, one cookbook, and various short stories. She is published in over 25 languages and has over ten million books in print worldwide. Even though all of this is true, she still took an hour o
Singer, Songwriter, and Bestselling Author Bill McGarvey
Bill McGarvey is the author of The Freshman Survival Guide, a resource for incoming college freshmen to help them navigate their first year away from home. He also has a regular column in America Magazine. Bill is also an accomplished musician, having written his first song when
Bestselling Author George Galdorisi
George is a career naval aviator whose thirty years of active duty service included four command tours and five years as a carrier strike group chief of staff. He began his writing career in 1978 with an article in the U.S. Navy’s professional magazine, U.S. Naval Institute Proce
NY Times Bestselling Author George Galdorisi
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Andrew Peterson - Bestselling Author of the Nathan McBride Series
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Patricia Fuqua, Founder of Dating Diamonds
Patricia Fuqua is the founder of Dating Diamonds, a service that empowers women to meet the right man the second time around and is the creator of the 1st Date to Soulmate Program. Since 2008, she’s helped over 500 women meet the right man by designing a personalized plan that sh
Bestselling Author Linwood Barclay
Linwood Barclay is a former columnist for The Toronto Star and the author of several critically acclaimed novels including Too Close to Home and No Time fo
Cristopher Ryan - A Bronx Tale
Christopher Ryan has always been a storyteller. Whether "ranking" on friends as a teen, covering street crime and dirty politics in The Bronx as an award-winning reporter, or teaching High School English, he serves the story above all else. I recently chatted with Chris about his
Author Christopher Ryan - A Bronx Tale
Christopher Ryan has always been a storyteller. Whether "ranking" on friends as a teen, covering street crime and dirty politics in The Bronx as an award-w
Three Little Birds
This time of year, the Carlon family welcomes a regular visitor to our house, well, to the door of our house. We call her mamma bird and every year she bui
Hunter Shea - Bestselling Master of Horror
Hunter Shea is the product of a misspent childhood watching scary movies, reading forbidden books and wishing Bigfoot would walk past his house. He doesn’t just write about the paranormal – he actively seeks out the things that scare the hell out of people and experiences them fo
Hunter Shea - Bestselling Author of Horror and Suspense
Hunter Shea is the product of a misspent childhood watching scary movies, reading forbidden books and wishing Bigfoot would walk past his house. He doesn’t
Tess Gerritsen - Award Winning Bestselling Author
“They don’t hire girls into the FBI,” these were the words Tess Gerritsen heard from her guidance counselor after expressing an interest in the Federal Bureau of investigation. While that sentiment feels like a dark cloud that hovered over our culture during the time of Tess’ hig
Tess Gerritsen - Internationally Acclaimed Bestselling Author
“They don’t hire girls into the FBI,” these were the words Tess Gerritsen heard from her guidance counselor after expressing an interest in the Federal Bur
Brian Anderson of Anderson Porter Design
Brian is a founding Partner of Anderson Porter Design and has developed a proven process of project delivery in the Cannabis Industry. To date, he has designed facilities for cultivation totaling over 150,000sf as well as 14 retail dispensaries. His path to this space, though, wa
Psychologist, Author, and Trainer Gay Hendricks
Psychologist Gay Hendricks is counselor, writer, and teacher in the field of personal growth, relationships, and body intelligence. He’s best known for his work in relationship enhancement and is the founder of The Hendricks Institute, where he and his wife Katie conduct workshop
Warren Farrell, PhD
Dr. Warren Farrell is the author of the just-published The Boy Crisis (with co-author John Gray). It exposes the boy crisis worldwide, as well as the causes and solutions that can be implemented by parents, schools and policy makers. Dr. Farrell has been chosen by the Financial T
Warren Farrell - Author of The Boy Crisis
Dr. Warren Farrell is the author of the just-published The Boy Crisis (with co-author John Gray). It exposes the boy crisis worldwide, as well as the cause
Erin Boardman Wathen - Author of Why Can't I Stick to My Diet
Erin Boardman Wathen is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) and a Food Addiction Counselor (INFACT). She’s a Certified Spinning® Instructor (STAR 3), Vinyasa Yoga instructor (200 Hour) and Classical Pilates instructor. She’s also the author of Why Can’t I
Laurie Handlers
Laurie Handlers is a Sex and Happiness Coach and the author of the Amazon #1 International Bestseller Sex & Happiness: The Tantric Laws of Intimacy. Through her company Butterfly Workshops, she offers sexual health and awareness courses plus leadership courses for corporations an
Laurie Handlers - Author of Amazon #1 International Bestseller Sex & Happiness: The Tantric Laws of Intimacy
Laurie Handlers is a Sex and Happiness Coach and the author of the Amazon #1 International Bestseller Sex & Happiness: The Tantric Laws of Intimacy.
Episode 22: New York Times Bestselling Author Lou Aronica
Lou Aronica didn’t intend to be a writer; born on Elvis Presley’s birthday, Lou felt it was his destiny to be a rock star, but that all changed after a teacher encouraged him to develop an evident talent for writing. After graduating college with a degree in English, Lou planned
New York Times Bestselling Author Lou Aronica
Lou Aronica didn’t intend to be a writer; born on Elvis Presley’s birthday, Lou felt it was his destiny to be a rock star, but that all changed after a tea
Episode 21 - The Bruce Miller Interview
Today is a big day for Uncorking a story because I get to share with you my conversation with Bruce Miller, the creator of Smart Alex - a new, better for you, snack food. I love talking to entrepreneurs because I’m always left feeling inspired by their stories; the drive and abil
Building Wealth with Purpose and Passion, with Karen Rands
Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/
The Karen Rands Interview
As many of you know, I write novels and a few weeks ago I did an email promotion with an author services company to get the word out about my first mystery
Episode 19 - The Jim Carlon Interview
Imagine going through basic training for the US Army as you approach the age of 40. It's a pretty hard thing to do at 18, but at 40 - come on it takes a special kind of person to raise his or her hand and say, "Bring it on," but that is just what Captain James P. Carlon of the US
Episode 18 - John Seigel Boettner from Teen Press
John Seigel Boettner is a social studies teacher at Santa Barbara Middle School, but he’s not like one I ever had. It’s a special kind of person who can take middle school kids on a cross country bicycle trip across the United States and an even more special person who can do tha
Episode 17 - The Steve August Interview
I’ll admit it, I love a good story where the good guys win and Steve August is a good guy. I know this interview may be a bit “Inside Research” for you, but if you are looking to be inspired by the story of a guy who identified a need, built a technology to meet that need, and th
Episode 16 - Wayne Lavender
Wayne Lavender is the Executive Director of The Foundation 4 Orphans (F4O); an international organization dedicated to supporting the emotional, educational, physical and spiritual needs of orphans in some of the world’s most poor and war torn places. Listen in to hear Wayne disc
Episode 16 - Wayne Lavender, Executive Director of Foundation for Orphans (F4O)
Wayne Lavender is the Executive Director of The Foundation 4 Orphans (F4O); an international organization dedicated to supporting the emotional, educationa
Episode 15 - Allison Yacht of Bravehoods
Shortly before her daughter was to begin kindergarten, Allison heard the words that no parent wants to hear – your daughter has cancer. As treatments prog
Episode 14 - Jeryl Abramson
In the course of my job, I have had the opportunity to meet some wonderful people who have shared their stories with me (and my clients) over the past 20 y
Episode 13 - Dave Mezzepelle
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Dave Mezzapelle, a serial entrepreneur who founded the Contagious Optimism movement (www.contagiousoptimism.com). He truly believes that we all have the capacity to make optimism contagious just by sharing our life’s adventures. Tha
Episode 13 - Dave Mezzapelle
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Dave Mezzapelle, a serial entrepreneur who founded the Contagious Optimism movement (www.contagiousoptimism
Episode 12 - Andy Greenfield
How important is curiosity in business? Andy Greenfield has a point of view.
Episode 11 - Richard Owen
Should qualitative researchers be thinking about adding mobile to their qualitative toolbox? Richard Owen, founder and CEO of Crowdlab says, without hesitation, yes! Who is Richard Owen? Well, Richard has been in the market research business for over twenty years and has worked a
Episode 10 - Jim Bryson
Jim Bryson is the founder and CEO of 2020 Research; a Nashville based qualitative research firm with facilities in Nashville, Charlotte, and Miami. In addi
Episode 9 - Ernie Bourcier
When I was 21 years old I thought I knew it all and that my parents knew absolutely nothing. By the time I turned 22 and was working in my first job with r
Episode 8 - GM O'Connell
In 1996 I was barely 22 years old when I started my career in advertising. I worked for a company called FCB direct, which was owned by a holding company
Episode 7 - Dorothy Collins, CND
When I woke up this morning, I never could have predicted that one of my elementary school teachers, a Catholic nun named Dorothy Collins, would be introdu
Episode 6 - Shelley Zalis
I first met Shelley Zalis when I was working for Unilever and she was invited to speak at an offsite meeting. She broke two rules during her presentation;
Podcast - Episode 5 Mick Carlon
He knows everything about everything.
Podcast Episode 4 - Bryan Mattimore
He creates ideas out of hot air.
Podcast Episode 3 - Shihan Manny Esmeraldo
This guy is the real deal - he's the guy that Chuck Norris is afraid to Google! Listen up as Mike and Manny talk about the importance of accountability, wh
Podcast Episode 1 - Dave Dwyer CSP
Listen up as Mike and guest co-host Wendy talk to Sirius XM Radio Personality Dave Dwyer about his early days at MTV, his time at Comedy Central, and what
Episode 5 - Author Mick Carlon
Michael Carlon interviews Michael Carlon. Have I finally lost my mind? Should they come and take me to South 1 (the psychiatric ward of Stamford Hospital)? Don't judge me too quickly! In this episode I interview my cousin who also happens to have the same name as me; although he
Creativity and Ideation, With Bryan Mattimore
Bryan Mattimore is one of America's top experts in applied creativity, ideation facilitation and innovation management. In his career, he has facilitated more than 1500 marketing and business strategy ideation sessions. Listen up as Bryan discusses his transformation from rationa
Talking Accountability, with Master Karate Instructor Manny Esmeraldo
This guy is the real deal - he's the guy that Chuck Norris is afraid to Google! Listen up as Mike and Manny talk about the importance of accountability, why you don't always want to be your child's "friend," and why you need to plant your seeds before you eat your vegetables. Als
From Comedy Clubs to the Pulpit, with Fr. Dave Dwyer
Listen up as Mike and guest co-host Wendy talk to Sirius XM Radio Personality Dave Dwyer about his early days at MTV, his time at Comedy Central, and what can best be termed about his higher calling. This episode pairs well with a nice crisp white!
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