This week I caught up with comedian Karen Morgan to talk about humor, comedy, and how to be funny. Listen in for tips and advice on why you should never try to be funny and why only you can do comedy like you can do. Give it a listen and don’t forget to check out her latest special on Dry Bar Comedy!
Season 10 - Episode 4: Matthew Quirk
My guest today is Matthew Quirk, the New York Times bestselling author of Inside Threat, Hour of the Assassin, and The Night Agent—Netflix’s runaway hit that’s reached #1 in 77 countries and ranks among the platform’s most-watched English-language series ever. Season 3 premieres next month.
Matthew also joins us to talk about his latest novel, The Method, and what it’s like to see a story grow from the page into a global TV phenomenon.
We dig into:
🕵️♂️ Why believability matters—and making sure your story always makes sense
✍️ The importance of writing what you know
🧠 How to write with momentum without over-plotting
🎬 And how characters evolve when they move from novel to screen
If you’re a fan of spy fiction, intrigue, and smart thrillers, you won’t want to miss this one.
🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.
Season 10 - Episode 3: Ryan Steck & Simon Gervais
In this episode of The Story Blender, host Steven James sits down with thriller heavyweights Ryan Steck and Simon Gervais to talk about their new collaborative novel, The Second Son. The trio digs into what it takes to write as a duo, how high-concept thriller ideas are built and refined, and why today’s authors must think beyond the page and treat writing as a business. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about craft, collaboration, and the realities of building a career in modern publishing.
Season 10 - Episode 2: Tony Marr
This week, acclaimed storyteller Tony Marr returns to talk about techniques to tell personal stories. We discuss the three key questions to ask yourself about any personal story you wish to share, how to end your stories, how to be vulnerable without oversharing, and how to retain the trust of your listeners as you tell your stories. If you have a personal story to share, this is the episode for you.
Season 10 - Episode 1: Carter Wilson
As we kick off the new year, I sit down with my good friend and our first guest for 2026. His work has received starred reviews from every major trade publication, has won multiple awards, and has been optioned for television and film. His 2025 release, Tell Me What You Did, was selected by Barnes & Noble as a national monthly pick. We talk suspense, making good on plot promises, how emotions fuel character development, and a rapid-fire word association game.
Season 9 - Episode 47: John R. Carlos
Science fiction author John R. Carlos joins me to talk about world building and how emergent trends in technology might affect our lives in the future. We touch on context and trajectory—both in culture and in storytelling—and how stories can equip us with the courage to face oppression in whatever form it might come. We also talk about his debut novel Cryonic Dreams: Awakening. Check it out!
Season 9 - Episode 46: Mia Sheridan
This week, bestselling author Mia Sheridan joins me to talk about how monsters can be made, whether it’s important to include the background on a villain in your story, how much believability stories need, longing for justice to occur in the stories that we read, and what’s more important—a story’s beginning or the ending? We also chat about her latest romantic thriller, The Fix.
,working through ⠀
Season 9 - Episode 45: Melinda Leigh
Melinda Leigh, the bestselling author of 40 novels, talks about how her background in the martial arts informs how she writes fight scenes (and why you need vaguely specific details to make them believable). We also talk plot twists, why it’s so much fun to write villains, working through revisions, voice, and honest writing. Check it out!
Season 9 - Episode 44: David Morrell
This week on The Story Blender I talk with legendary action thriller writer David Morrell. As the author of First Blood, he is known as the father of the modern action thriller. In this wide-ranging conversation, he shares his inspiration, words of advice for aspiring authors, and hard-won insights into the writing process that you just won’t want to miss.
Season 9 - Episode 43: John Branyan
Join me as I chat with acclaimed comedian John Branyan. We talk about secrets to comedy, how to gain confidence, how to tap into the truths of life and your own experiences to find humorous stories to tell. He also explains the history behind his famous Shakespearean “Three Little Pigs” rendition and shares who he thinks are the three comedians you definitely need to check out today. Give it a listen and enjoy.