The Thoughtful Bro Mark Cecil

With 5-Under-35 and Orange-Prize-winner Téa Obreht, discussing her third novel, The Morningside.
We chatted re: (1) the necessity of an urgent emotional connection to your work; (2) what can/can't be taught about writing; and (3) today's fraught political climate for artists.
Order Mark Cecil's novel Bunyan and Henry.
All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm.

My convo with debut bestseller Doug Westerbeke, author of A Short Walk Through A Wide World, about which The New York Times says, "Imagine The Life of Pi, The Alchemist, and The Midnight Library rolled into one fantastical fable.”
We covered (1) struggling to nail the ending, (2) writing the adult fairy tale, and (3) why sometimes "the best way to survive things is to not understand them."
Order Mark Cecil's novel Bunyan and Henry.
All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm.

Who could possibly step into Mark Cecil’s host shoes on The Thoughtful Bro on his pub day without skipping a beat and fire super intelligent and fun questions at him? A Mighty Blaze co-founder and best-selling author Jenna Blum, of course! 
They discuss Mark's debut Bunyan and Henry; Or the Beautiful Destiny, now available wherever books are sold. Make sure you check out his book tour schedule and learn more about the novel. 
All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm.

With Boston literary citizen par excellence Hank Phillippi Ryan, discussing her latest suspense novel One Wrong Word.
Hank has won scores of awards as a TV journalist and novelist (including 37 Emmys), and I dug into her storytelling habits, methods and style, unpacking the mind of this master of economical prose, twisty plots and upbeat endings.
Order Mark Cecil's novel Bunyan and Henry.
All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm.

With one of the foremost Native American artists working today in any field, Tommy Orange, talking about his second novel, Wandering Stars.
We discussed the struggle of America to both remember and forget its past; his generative friendship with fellow celebrated novelist Kaveh Akbar; and whether the time has come when white writers of literary fiction will be expected to talk about whiteness.
Pre-order Mark Cecil's upcoming novel Bunyan and Henry.
All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm.

With the inimitable, incorrigible, ingenious Steve Almond, discussing his new craft book, Truth Is The Arrow, Mercy Is The Bow: A DIY Manual For The Construction Of Stories.
We covered: obsession as the engine for literature; the aims and importance of opening paragraphs; and how one of the ultimate goals of literature is a magnification the inner life, so we might all better understand and forgive one another.
Pre-order Mark Cecil's upcoming novel Bunyan and Henry.
All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm.