Uncorking A Story

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 to my son, who always wanted to be last so he could get “more daddy time,” my eyes would be so heavy that I’d fall asleep with a book over my nose (usually it was Harold and the Purple Crayon). Today’s guest, Maya Smart, reminded me of the importance of reading to your kids when they are young (maybe it’s my fault that I have three avid readers!). Meet Maya Smart: Maya is a writer, parent educator, and literacy advocate who has served on the boards of numerous library and literacy organizations. She joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about her book, Reading for Our Lives: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six, in which she provides a clear, step-by-step guide to helping your child thrive as a reader and a learner. Key Topics: The iconic literary figure she was named after. The importance of encouragement when learning to read. Her path from invest

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 embracing it as a career. Don’t get me wrong, most authors have a challenging time making ends meet solely by their writing, but there’s a difference between having a day job and treating writing as a hobby vs. treating writing as a passion. It’s only after we really treat it as a passion that we have the possibility of finding any success as writers. Meet Joy Jordan Lake: Joy’s varied professional experience has included working as a college professor, author, journalist, waitress, director of a program for homeless families, university chaplain, horseback riding instructor, freelance photographer, and the job title that remains her personal favorite--head sailing instructor. She recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about her latest novel, A Bend of Light. Key Topics: How her love of reading fueled her career as a writer. Why elementary school

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 Mercury was born there and Billy Joel wrote a song by that name, though I’m pretty sure it was about a nightclub in New York City. I was unaware of the Zanzibar Revolution and the dangerous living conditions that caused Abdulrazak to flee his home country and seek asylum in the UK. Meet Abdulrazak Gurnah: Abdulrazak Gurnah is the 2021 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Among his many novels are Paradise, By the Sea, and Desertion. Born and raised in Zanzibar, he is Professor Emeritus of English and Postcolonial Literatures at the University of Kent. He recently joined me on Uncorking a Story me today to talk about his new novel, Afterlives.  Key Topics: His decision to leave Zanzibar in the 1960s to seek asylum in the UK. How he was treated living as a refugee in the UK. Why, after studying engineering, Abdulrazak decided to start writing. How he we

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 odds? Would you like to know what a parkway on Long Island has to do with two evil dictators? Well, today’s Guest, Steve Borys, has been struggling with these questions all his life and graciously let me uncork his story. Meet Steve Borys: Steve Grew up in Sayville, NY on the east end of Long Island. He Attended Fordham University, where he earned a BA in History and an MAT in Social Studies. At Fordham, Steve played football and was a team captain, 2 time all patriot league and an honorable mention All American. After college, Steve has been teaching and coaching for the last 25 years and just wrote his first book called, ‘How to beat Stalin, Hitler, and the Southern State Parkway’. Key Topics: The important role that joining a football team played in Steve’s life. How Steve got through the darkest times of his life. The impact losing his mother and sister

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 one day, I said to him, “I don’t like the solo. I would do something differently.” He said, “Oh really. Well, put those minor pentatonic scales to use and come up with something different.” I simply couldn’t do it. Why am I sharing this embarrassing story? Well, my guest today, Rhys Bowen, tells a similar tale, but with a more favorable outcome. While working in Drama for the BBC, she decided that she didn’t like the ending to a play they were running so decided to write her own. With the confidence that only a twenty-two year old amateur playwright could have, she walked down the hall and put it on the head of Drama’s desk. A week later she got the call that the BBC was going to do it. Rhys has been a working writer ever since. She recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss her career and latest novel, Where the Sky Begins.  Meet Rhys Bowen Rhys i

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 science; Mr. Michael Roper, who taught Intro to Psychology at my high school and Thomas Harris, who wrote Silence of the Lambs. The former was an amazing teacher who brought the subject to life in such a way that I was captivated to read everything I could on the topic. Which led me to the latter— Harris’ Silence of the Lambs led me to his first book featuring Hannibal Lecter, The Red Dragon, and I thought working as an FBI profiler would be a lot more interesting than sitting at a desk all day. Spoiler alert, I never became a psychologist or a profiler, but that’s a story for another time. I mention all of this because my guest today, Alicia Thompson, and I share a love of psychology, reading and writing, and I had a lot of fun uncorking her story. Meet Alicia Thompson: Alicia is a writer who wrote her debut novel between pulling all-nighters on her senior thes

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 to Connecticut, I came across The Catholic Channel and listened to a program called The Busted Halo show, in which the host, Fr. Dave Dwyer, took calls from the audience who posed questions of faith. The host had a very relaxed and very humorous approach to answering all of the questions posed to him and I thought to myself, “There’s no way this guy is a priest.” I became a loyal listener, dare I say a fan, and made it a personal mission to meet the one and only Fr. Dave Dwyer, who had such an interesting backstory that, after coming up with the idea for Uncorking a Story, I asked him to be my first guest. Meet Fr. Dave Dwyer, CSP: Fr. Dave Dwyer, CSP, is Executive Director of Busted Halo, a media ministry of the Paulist Fathers that helps Catholics share their faith joyfully. He’s also the award-winning host of The Busted Halo Show weeknights on SiriusXM r

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 way of saying someone is yelling at me to rejoin the family. Lauren Forsythe calls this catching a wave, and I’m totally stealing that metaphor. Meet Lauren Forsythe: By day, Lauren is a content marketing manager, finding ways to get writing into people’s eagerly waiting eye-holes, and by night…well it’s the same thing, but with more wine. Lauren writes books about strong women, men with pretty eyelashes, and friends that save your life. She recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss her career and latest book, the Fixer Upper.  Key Topics: The path to publishing her debut novel, including collaborating with her agent. How the imbalance of labor she noticed between men and women working from home during the pandemic inspired the ideas behind her debut. How being silly and joyful are great ways of feeding one’s inner child and (fueling one’s creat

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 former President Bill Clinton to shoot the breeze about his work. That all changed the day I interviewed David Pepper Meet David Pepper: David Pepper is the author of The Voter File, The People's House, and The Wingman, all of which feature Jack Sharpe. He earned his B.A. from Yale University and his J.D. from Yale Law School. He has clerked for a judge on the United States Court of Appeals, served in local elected office in Ohio, worked for major law firms, and taught election and voting rights law. Prior to law school, Pepper worked in St. Petersburg, Russia, for the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. In 2015, he was unanimously elected Chairman of the Democratic Party of Ohio. He recently joined me on Uncorking a Story to discuss his latest novel, A Simple Plan. Key Topics: The similarities between being an author and being a l

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 nest and begin living independently? I’ll admit it, I had a bit of an identity crisis when they went off to college and it took me some time to identify with other parts of my identity that I had suppressed or even forgotten. Today’s guest, Giovanni Ruscitti, only discovered a significant part of his identity later in adulthood upon visiting his father’s ancestral town in Italy. His father fled Italy in 1943 after the Nazis came in and, after surviving in the mountains for a while, managed to immigrate to the United States where he worked a series of odd jobs while beginning and raising a family. Meet Giovanni Ruscitti: Giovanni is a first generation Italian-American who grew up in Frederick, Colorado, a small coal mining town that his parents and grandparents immigrated to in the 1950s and early 1960s. He is a nationally recognized attorney, arbitrator, and m

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 years and many manuscripts later, she signed her first book deal. She joins me today to talk about her latest novel, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. In this episode, Mike and Sangu discuss:  Sangu’s lifelong love of writing and her path to being a novelist.  The timing of writing a book and getting it published.  The importance of persistence and encouragement.  Embracing the lessons from children’s books and movies as an adult.  Key Takeaways:  You don’t need to have a degree to be a writer. Books are written and reflect who you, as an author, are at that point in time.  Encouragement and critique do not need to come from someone in the industry, they could be from a trusted friend or family member.  Let your imposter syndrome work for you. You have made it to where you are by pushing through, and you will make it to where you are go

About Allison Gilbert:  Allison is an award-winning journalist and author of numerous books including Passed and Present and Parentless Parents. Her forthcoming book, Listen, World!: How the Intrepid Elsie Robinson Became America’s Most-Read Woman, is the inspiring story of a timeless maverick, capturing what it means to take a gamble on self-fulfillment and find freedom along the way. In this episode, Mike and Allison discuss:  Allison’s journey from journalist to book author (including her near death on September 11th).  Writing as catharsis and therapy.  How our education system keeps us from learning about the impact of women and where we can learn more. Stories to bring you into another family and world.  Key Takeaways:  The practical skills that you learn in other careers can often be applied to your writing.  Writing can be a form of therapy, for authors of both fiction and non-fiction. It is a way of getting lost in a world that you have control over.  When you downplay the role of women

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 way some people are drawn to watching fish swim in a tank. He was a talented artist, no doubt, but what I appreciated more than his talent was his calm and serene demeanor which complimented the naturescapes he was fond of painting. One phrase he used often when he may have made unanticipated brush strokes was “Happy little accidents.” And a happy little accident is where author Katherine Linn Caire’s story begins. About Katherine Linn Caire Kathe was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. She attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where she swam for the Mustangs and received her BBA (Finance), with Minors in Art History and Economics. Although her career has spanned the gamut from commercial banking lender to advertising account executive, from calligrapher/artist to tennis official, she has found her true delight in putting pen to paper.

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 as Christopher Steele. But this is, of course, a coincidence. She joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about her career and latest novel, Alias Emma. In this episode, Mike and Ava discuss:  Being captured by writing while living on the careening train of life.  Your first published book not being your first attempt at writing a book.  Surprises in the publishing industry.  Worrying too much and living the advice you would tell your younger self.  Key Takeaways:  Reading is not necessarily the path to being a writer, but it does help cultivate an active imagination.  Story ideas can come from anywhere - careers, television, news articles, travel, and so many more places. Keep your eyes and ears open and you will become inspired. You can learn a lot about yourself as you write fiction.  No chapter gets more rewritten than chapter one. You don’t

Every now and then I uncork a story that just won’t leave me and Annette Libeskind Berkovits’ story is exactly one of those. While this is a story about a person growing up in the shadow of the Holocaust, I want to be clear, as does Annette, that this is not a tragedy. In fact, it is a story about overcoming trauma and learning how to adapt when the winds of change are blowing in your face. In our rich and emotional conversation centered around her latest memoir, Aftermath: Coming-of-Age on Three Continents, Annette and I cover: Why, when growing up in post-war Poland, Annette felt she did not see in color, only black and white. How she felt when moving to the fledgling state of Israel, the challenges of learning a new language, Hebrew, and how she began seeing in color during this time. The heartbreak she felt when her father left Israel for America. How Annette adjusted to life in America after settling in the Bronx, all the while not knowing the language with her only frame of reference of the Unite

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 Coach, and is also doing it through his new book entitled Expansive Intimacy: How Tough Guys Defeat Burnout. In this episode, Mike and Jim discuss:  Staking a claim to who you are.  The multiple paths we take in life.  Taking a risk to open yourself to vulnerability.  Embracing the youness.  Key Takeaways:  You don’t have to know what you want to do at 18. That’s crazy! You will find yourself as you live your life and learn who you are.  Burnout can feel different to everyone. Listen to your body and your mental health and be willing to take the actions needed to help yourself, even if it is terrifying.  You cannot connect with everybody. Be honest, be authentic, and be yourself and you will connect with those who you are meant to be around.  You have something nobody else has and that is all that you need.  "If there's a secret weapon, it's deal

About Carrington Smith: Carrington Smith is a single mom, attorney, business owner, and executive search professional. Despite being born with a silver spoon in her mouth, life gave her a hard kick in the tail. She has survived sexual assault, two divorces, piles of debt, abuse, religious mind games, the death of loved ones, and the loss of close friends. In her debut memoir, Blooming: Finding Gifts in the Shit of Life, Carrington combines wit and wisdom to share her journey through the shit, with a positive attitude and a shift of mindset, into a life bursting with joy, opportunity, and purpose. A graduate of UT Austin and Tulane Law School, Carrington resides in Austin, Texas, with her two teenage boys. In this episode, Mike and Carrington discuss:  How changing your mindset can change your life Why it's better to stand out than to fit in How sometimes we don’t really discover who we are until later in life Why being given everything isn’t necessarily a blessing “I like to say that we spend most of

About David Bell: David is the USA Today-bestselling author of twelve novels from Berkley/Penguin, including THE FINALISTS, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, THE REQUEST, and LAYOVER. His work has been translated into numerous foreign languages, included on several bestseller lists, nominated for the Pushcart Prize five times, and, recently his thirteenth novel, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, was nominated for a 2022 Edgar Award.  In this episode, Mike and David discuss:  Why David blames his parents for becoming a bestselling author.  Reading as the best teacher of the craft of writing.  How David’s career influenced his latest book, The Finalists.  The impact of childhood stories on other stories in our lives.  Key Takeaways:  Not all authors are dead! Many are attempting to make a living doing it now, and you can too.  Succeeding young in writing is rare. Many publish their first books, and become accomplished writers, in their 30s or 40s or even later.  While writing itself is a solitary process, the book and

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 historical fiction bring a breath of fresh air and a contemporary energy to the genre. Her debut novel is A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting and joining me today to talk about that, and so much more, is author Sophie Irwin.  In this episode, Mike and Sophie discuss:  Why her writing starts with consuming stories across multiple genres and media platforms.  The draw of historical fiction (and how it is similar to fantasy).  Building an immersive world without overwhelming your readers.  Embracing and feeding your inner selves - past, present, and future.  Finding a community within the solitary process of writing.  Key Takeaways:  Historical fiction has a texture that is rich and gorgeous in a way that is different from mo

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. She is also the author of Does This Volvo Make My Butt Look Big?, a selection of laugh-out-loud columns that appeared in the Huffington Post, The Week, and The Rye Record. She joins me today to talk about Nora Goes Off Script, which is her adult debut novel.    In this episode, Mike and Annabel discuss:  Annabel’s path to publishing What she learned during the writing process How Annabel crafted Nora's character and why she chose to make Nora a mother How writing is therapy for Annabel Key Takeaways:  Learn how to embrace and create opportunities for success yourself. Be vulnerable. By having the courage to be vulnerable in your writing, you enhance your characters and give them a sense of life, which could help you connect with your readers. It's not an easy job being a mom–raising a child while accomplishing other responsibilities every single