The Story Blender

This week, New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison joins me to talk about ghost cats, why she’s a gardener rather than an architect as a writer, the differences (and surprising similarities) between mystery and suspense, serendipity, believability, and more. We also discuss her latest novel, YOU KNOW WHY.

In this week’s conversation with actor, director, and producer Eriq La Salle, you'll learn why your characters are only as fascinating as the problems they face, why it’s more important to be interested in your story than to be interesting, why you should never judge your characters, and why you should always do your research. We also discuss the challenge of creating a hero who’s just as compelling as your villains and why stakes and complexity are two of the most important elements of characterization. Check out the episode, and be sure to pick up his latest literary thriller, LAWS OF SOLOMON.

International bestselling author Alex Finlay joins me to talk about trusting your readers, letting them fill in the gaps, how much planning to do (or not do) before writing your book, and how to handle clichés in a way that lets you get away with using them.
We also discuss his latest thriller, THE ANNIVERSARY.

With books sold in 150 countries, author J.D. Barker has become a name synonymous with suspense. He joins me to talk about his writing process, the economy of language, how to start scenes (and how not to), and why the emotional impact of stories matters so much. We also talk about Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula, how he actually believed in vampires, the missing 102 pages, and J.D.’s latest thriller, THE FIRST SCARLET DOOR.

This week on The Story Blender, international bestselling author Douglas Preston and his coauthor (and daughter), Aletheia Preston, join me to discuss their latest novel, PARADOX.
We explore what makes characters truly resonate, why believability matters—even when you're writing stories with extraordinary or unbelievable elements—and how to keep readers invested from beginning to end. We also dive into the rights of Neanderthals, moral choices, and the importance of finding the danger in every story.
Give it a listen!