Creative Writing Episodes

Send us a text Incredibly grateful to sit down with actor and contortionist Samantha Rodes for this compelling and insightful interview. Samantha Rodes is a versatile actor with extensive experience in creature and prosthetic performance, contortion, yoga, and motion capture. She has worked alongside many acclaimed artists, both under layers of prosthetics and suited up for motion capture, including Academy Award-winning director Guillermo Del Toro in Nightmare Alley and visionary director Za...

Send us a text Sally and I sit down to discuss her memoir, REACHING FOR BEAUTIFUL, the loss of her son, and how creativity, and self-care helped her in her grief journey. We also dig deep into grief, her family's history with sobriety, and so much more. Content warning: Loss of a child, addiction. Sally McQuillen, LCSW, CADC, is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in addiction, grief, and trauma recovery. She provides ongoing support for addiction recovery, as well as sup...

Send us a text Absolutely delighted to be joined by T. Kingfisher aka Ursula Vernon, a NYT bestselling author of fantasy and horror novels. We discuss her latest book, writing inspo, creativity, and much more! We're also joined by my friend Rita, who is a HUGE fan of T. Kingfisher, so this episode is an extra special treat! T. Kingfisher is the New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award–winning author of fantasy, horror, and occasional oddities, including What Feasts at Night, Nettle & Bon...

Send us a text Panel episodes are ones I enjoy doing on my show, and this one features returning guests, Playwright and Beatlephile, Jack Canfora, Elizabeth Macduffie of Meat For TeaCast podcast, and Meat For Tea: The Valley Review) as well as Dr. Amrita Sen, who's published several works and lectured on Shakespeare. This episode is also special because the fab hosts of Meat for Teacast podcast have edited this, and are featuring it as their season six finale! Fans of my show shou...

Send us a text USA Today bestselling author, Trilina Pucci is on the show to discuss all things writing, and her latest novel, Trilina Pucci, a #1 Amazon and USA TODAY Bestselling Author, is a connoisseur of pop culture and SANPELLEGRINO, but her true passion lies in crafting tantalizing romantic novels that delve into the depths of desire, emotion, and even hearty belly laughs. When she's not penning steamy love stories, you'll find her indulging in Netflix marathons with her husband, ...

Send us a text J.T. Ellison, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, crafts domestic noir and psychological thrillers that hook readers deep into the night. She created the Taylor Jackson and Dr. Samantha Owens series, alongside standalone hits like A Very Bad Thing, It’s One of Us, and Lie to Me. With Catherine Coulter, she co-authored six of the "A Brit in the FBI" novels packed with international intrigue—because a good spy twist never gets old. Her books span 30 countries and 1...

Send us a text Thomas Cullen jumps on the show to discuss his venture into YA fiction writing, authors who've inspired him, how his career has shaped this new segment of his life, and more. Thomas Cullen is a federal trial judge and former U.S. attorney in Virginia. He is also an accomplished writer, regularly publishing op-eds and essays for national and regional media outlets over the past decade. Thomas graduated near the top of his class from William & Mary Law School and was re...

Send us a text Rita Lussier, an award-winning journalist and writer whose column “For the Moment” was a popular feature of The Providence Journal for a dozen years. Her writing has also been featured on National Public Radio, in The Boston Globe, The New York Daily News, and many more. Rita enjoys coaching writers, conducting workshops and has worked as a publicist and editor. She has taught at both the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College. Learn more about Rita, and order her...

Send us a text Roslyn Bernstein is the author of four books: Boardwalk Stories, a collection of 14 fictional tales set from 1950 to 1970; the co-author with the architect Shael Shapiro of Illegal Living: 80 Wooster Street and the Evolution of SoHo; Engaging Art: Essays and Interviews from Around the Globe, a collection of 60 of her online avant-garde art pieces; and most recently, a novel, The Girl Who Counted Numbers. Since the 1980s, she has been reporting from around the globe for such pri...

Send us a text I am delighted to have my friend, the talented Nikkolas Smith back on the show! Nikkolas is the illustrator of the #1 NYT Bestselller The 1619 Project: Born on the Water, I Am Ruby Bridges, Black Panther Wakanda Forever: The Courage To Dream, Captain America: A Hero Looks Like You, the award winning That Flag, and the upcoming A Change is Gonna Come. His latest picture book The History of We is his first hand painted picture book. As a Black illustrator, Nikkolas is focused on ...

Send us a text Author Shirley Russak Wachtel discusses her latest book, THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES, NYC, generational trauma, history, and much more in this compelling interview. “As a daughter of Holocaust survivors,” Wachtel explains, “I have heard many tales of loss, trauma, and even heroism. These stories inspire me not only in the way I live my life, but also in the topics I take on as a writer. In THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES, I turn to the story of a child of someone in my generation—the...

Send us a text Judith Valente has won numerous awards for her work as a former correspondent for PBS, two NPR stations, The Wall Street Journal, and as the author of several spirituality titles. Her most recent books include How to Live, The Art of Pausing, and How to Be. She has published two poetry collections and is a sought-after retreat guide who leads the annual Benedictine Footprints retreat/pilgrimage to lesser-known parts of Italy, and has lived and traveled extensively in Italy, c...

Send us a text Art Bell sits down to discuss his illustrious career, the differences of writing across genres, creatiity, and more. Art Bell is a writer and former television executive known for developing and launching the Comedy Channel (later Comedy Central) while at HBO; and, as president of Court TV, overseeing daily live courtroom coverage and the production of hundreds of hours of original true-crime television series, documentaries, and movies. His memoir Constant Comedy: How I Starte...

Send us a text Today I'm joined by author, Bob Johnson. Bob Johnson holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers Workshop. He took an extended break from writing short stories to follow several career paths, the most notable being an English professorship at Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana, and Operations Manager at WSBT-TV in South Bend. Upon retirement, he picked up his pen again and now writes full-time. His stories have appeared in The Hudson Review, The Common, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, The Barcelona Re...

Send us a text The lovely gothic author, Paulette Kennedy is back on the show to discuss her latest novel and pick up the convo where it left off! To learn more about her, and purchase her books, check it out here: https://paulettekennedy.com/ Visit the Self-Care Institute at https://www.selfcareinstitute.com/ Support the show Visit www.creativepeacemeal.com to leave a review, fan voicemail, and more! Insta @creative_peacemeal_podcast FB @creativepeacemealpod Redbubble CPPodcast.redbub...

Send us a text John returns to discuss his latest projects and to continue to the conversation. John's works can be found at bookstores near you. Host & Creator: Tammy Takaishi Audio Engineer: Alex Repetti Visit the Self-Care Institute at https://www.selfcareinstitute.com/ Support the show Visit www.creativepeacemeal.com to leave a review, fan voicemail, and more! Insta @creative_peacemeal_podcast FB @creativepeacemealpod Redbubble CPPodcast.redbubble.com Creative Peacemeal READI...

Send us a text Becky Bell sits down to discuss her interesting journey to become a children's author, inspirations for future books, creative process, and more. In her picture book debut, author and homeschooling mom Becky Bell takes young readers into the magical, whimsical world of Fibberton. Much like Aesop’s fables, The Gnomes of Fibberton is a story about a faraway place where mysterious gnomes keep track of the lies, half-truths, and tall tales of the children throughout the world. This b...

Send us a text Before we begin this episode, we want to provide a content warning for our listeners. This interview features an Israeli-American author discussing her historical fiction book, which delves into events and themes tied to the complex history of the region. We recognize that this topic is deeply personal and sensitive for many, including Palestinian listeners. We aim to approach this conversation with care and respect, understanding the diverse perspectives and lived experiences tie...

Send us a text Award-winning author, humorist, and speaker, Amy Weinland Daughters joined the show to discuss exploring her past as she wrote YOU CANNOT MESS THIS UP: A TRUE STORY THAT NEVER HAPPENED, her creative process, the importance of family, and so much more. Amy Weinland Daughters is a keynote speaker, letter writer, satirist, sports journalist and author of Dear Dana: That time I went crazy and wrote all 580 of my Facebook friends a handwritten letter and You Cannot Mess This Up: A tru...

Send us a text Love is in the air as I talk with the amazing Michele Dunaway, an award-winning, contemporary romance author. Michele Dunaway is a best selling author of 30+ contemporary romance novels, with over 1.7 million books sold globally Michele always dreamed of writing, and she sold her first romance novel after an editor appointment at the Romance Writers of American (RWA) national convention. Describing herself as a woman who does way too much and never wants to stop, Michele Dunaway ...

Send us a text Janet Horvath is a professional cellist, author, and speaker. Her latest book, THE CELLO STILL SINGS tells the remarkable tale of her parents as musicians in survivor's orchestras, and her discovery of their lives before they immigrated. This book is a moving personal story, and one that is an integral to read now as ever. To learn more, visit https://janethorvath.com/ Creator/Host Tammy Takaishi Audio Engineer Alex Repetti Visit the Self-Care Institute at https://www.selfcare...

Send us a text Dr. James Gregory, a former successful businessman in marketing discusses pivoting to writing Sci-Fi, his latest novel KILLER APP, and the importance of creative hobbies. To learn more about James, to order any of his books, or to connect regarding his future book about games played as children, visit his website. https://jamesrgregory-books.com/ He can be reached at Jim@jamesrgregory-books.com Visit the Self-Care Institute at https://www.selfcareinstitute.com/ Support the show ...

Send us a text Award-winning filmmaker Josh Mendoza (What Still Remains) turns his attention to fiction with his sci-fi thriller, Shadow of the Eternal Watcher (Jan. 28, Inkshares, trade paper), a genre-bending debut novel in which alternate realities and time travel blend together seamlessly in a thrilling tale of government corruption and personal redemption. In Shadow of the Eternal Watcher, Private detective Duster Raines has demons. Some visit him in his dreams, reminding him of the choice...

Send us a text Author and Ghostwriter, Ruby Peru sits down to discuss the magic of her fantasy novel, hearing it come to life as an audiobook, creativity in her everyday life, and more. Bio from website: Ruby Peru is a sloppy workaholic and independent operator with weird sleep habits and limited knowledge of pop culture. She drives a beat up pickup truck, and some opine she’s a little bit of a badass. Studying under Kurt Vonnegut in the eighties and David Foster Wallace in the nineties, made ...