Story Impact Podcast - Compelling Author Interviews

Story Impact Podcast - Steve Guglich

Welcome to the Story Impact Podcast! How does the mind of a school principal—someone charged with leading a community and shaping its vision—approach the creation of an entirely new world?
Today, host Lisa Towles connects with Steve Guglich, a veteran educator, school principal, and the author of the expansive epic fantasy saga, Piercing the Veil. This conversation is a deep dive into creative discipline, author branding, and the entrepreneurial journey of launching an independent publishing house.
Steve’s work is grounded in "noble-bright" fantasy fiction, exploring a world where magic has been hidden for 4,000 years. He offers a refreshing, hopeful alternative to modern dark fantasy, proving that "clean fiction" can deliver high stakes and deep emotional resonance.
In this episode, we explore:
The "Santa Claus" Gene: How Steve’s connection with his students inspired the "mysterious gift" possessed by his protagonist.
Executive Discipline: Strategic advice on finding "quiet hours" to write a 600-page novel while leading a school as a full-time principal.
The Business of Publishing: Why Steve chose the entrepreneurial route, founding his own publishing company to maintain creative control and brand integrity.
Global World-Building: The research and vision required to ground a magical narrative across locations like New York City and Tokyo.
Noble-Bright Fiction: Why the market is hungry for hopeful, clean storytelling that addresses contemporary themes like loss and wonder.
Whether you are a reader looking for your next epic escape or an aspiring author seeking market intelligence on platform building and visibility, this episode provides the roadmap for turning a creative vision into a published reality.
Listen & Connect:
Learn more about Steve Guglich and The Veil Saga: https://stevenguglich.com/ 
Watch the full video interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uliovexMKl8?si=5zJO0KsZ-lX7Uxrv 
Explore Story Impact Consulting for book coaching and brand strategy: https://storyimpactconsulting.com
Read Story Impact Magazine: Discover our quarterly digital publication at https://storyimpactconsulting.com
About Your Host: The Story Impact Podcast is hosted by Lisa Towles—Communications Director, award-winning crime novelist, and Book Coach. This series highlights the visionaries who bring narratives to life, providing a platform for authors to connect their unique purpose directly with readers.
Follow & Subscribe: Follow Story Impact on Podbean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio. Subscribe on YouTube for full-length video interviews with today’s most compelling authors and creative voices.
Stories...hold the world together.

Story Impact Podcast - Jim and Kathy Ocean

Welcome to the Story Impact Podcast! Today, we're thrilled to feature Jim and Kathy Ocean — musicians, cultural activists, and co-authors of the genre-bending novel John Lennon's Glasses.
For more than three decades, Jim and Kathy have worked together as the creative force behind OceanWorks Productions, producing concerts, festivals, multimedia performances, and original music they describe as "Music for the MetaQuizzical" — a bold blend of rock, philosophy, satire, and environmental themes designed to challenge how we think about creativity, culture, and change.
Their latest project takes that mission into fiction. John Lennon's Glasses was born from a strange and electrifying creative moment: while writing music in the studio, Jim Ocean imagined John Lennon looking over his shoulder, urging him to keep going. That haunting spark eventually grew into a novel about a struggling songwriter who receives a mysterious pair of Lennon's glasses — and suddenly finds himself connected to the afterlife of rock legends. Blending rock history, spiritual science fiction, and musical mythology, it's a story about creativity, legacy, and the enduring power of artists who changed the world.
In this Story Impact conversation, host Lisa Towles explores how decades of songwriting collaboration translated into co-authoring a novel, the surprising origin story behind the book, what it means to write fiction after a lifetime of composing songs, and why creativity so often feels like the story is engineering the author.
For music lovers, speculative fiction fans, and writers fascinated by the intersection of art, spirituality, and creative obsession — this conversation is for you.
Watch the full YouTube video interview: https://youtu.be/ZErE85an8ks
Learn more about Jim & Kathy Ocean and OceanWorks Productions: https://www.oceanworksproductions.com
The Story Impact Podcast is hosted by Lisa Towles — award-winning crime thriller author, writing coach, and founder of Story Impact Consulting and Story Impact Magazine. Each episode features visionary authors and master storytellers exploring craft, creative courage, and the deeper purpose behind powerful books.
Learn more: https://storyimpactconsulting.com
Follow Story Impact on Podbean, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Subscribe on YouTube for full-length video interviews with today's most compelling authors and creative voices.
Stories…hold the world together.

Story Impact Podcast - Marie Judson

Welcome to the Story Impact Podcast! Today, we're honored to feature Marie Judson—linguist, scholar, and acclaimed fantasy author whose world-building spans two extraordinary series and two entirely different mythologies.
Marie is the creator of the Braided Dimensions series, a time travel fantasy saga woven through with medieval magic and ancient languages, and the Lost Xentu series, where fantasy and science fiction collide in ways that will rewire how you think about both genres. Holding three master's degrees in linguistics and cognitive science, Marie brings rare scholarly depth to speculative fiction — and her prose and characters stay with you long after you've turned the last page.
In this Story Impact interview, host Lisa Towles explores Marie's extraordinary creative process: how she builds and sustains two complete fantasy mythologies simultaneously, how her background in linguistics and the mind shapes the authenticity of her world-building, the role of dream work as creative fuel, and what ancient and diverse languages unlock for her as a storyteller and fantasy author.
For fantasy readers, sci-fi devotees, and writers fascinated by the art of world-building — this conversation is for you.
Watch the full YouTube video interview: https://youtu.be/zd0hKBpnOhs
Learn more about Marie Judson and her books: https://mariejudson.com
The Story Impact Podcast is hosted by Lisa Towles — award-winning crime novelist, book coach, and founder of Story Impact Consulting. Each episode features visionary authors, world-builders, and master storytellers exploring the writing process, creative courage, and the deeper purpose behind powerful books.
Learn more: https://storyimpactconsulting.com
Follow Story Impact on Podbean, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Subscribe on YouTube for full-length video interviews with today's most compelling authors and creative voices.
Stories hold the world together.

Story Impact Podcast - Ed DeJesus

Lisa Towles, award-winning crime novelist and host of Story Impact, sits down with Ed DeJesus to explore vulnerability, systems thinking, and what happens when a tech pioneer turns his gaze toward the darkest corners of human nature.
This episode dives into thriller writing, character development, real-world storytelling, and the creative courage required to architect narratives that are both technically precise and deeply human.
Essential listening for authors, thriller readers, and anyone fascinated by the intersection of technology and storytelling.
A literary podcast for serious readers, writers, and creative thinkers.
Ed DeJesus is an award-winning author and tech pioneer whose career spans decades at the cutting edge of computer science, machine learning, and solar energy. As a CEO, engineer, and AI researcher, he built a career on systems thinking — and now applies that same architectural precision to fiction that forces readers to confront their own vulnerabilities.
His thriller, The Vulnerable, has earned the Literary Titan Award, the Pencraft Best Book Award, and the Readers' Favorite Award — and been called "gripping and timely" by Kirkus Reviews. With no superheroes and no easy answers, The Vulnerable drops ordinary people into the crosshairs of wildfires, a pandemic, and devastating family secrets. It's a story built by a systems thinker who understands, deeply, how everything is connected — and how quickly it can all fall apart.
In this in-depth author interview, Lisa Towles and Ed DeJesus discuss:
Architecting the plot — how computer science shapes complex thriller narratives
The power of vulnerability — why readers must feel for characters to stay anchored
Settings as characters — from blizzard-hit Massachusetts to burning California
Weaving real-world crises — climate change, corporate corruption, and the opioid epidemic
The "technopreneur" mindset — what engineering brings to fiction writing
What's next — Ed's upcoming memoir, Simpler Times in The Spindle City
This episode is ideal for thriller readers, aspiring novelists, tech professionals with a creative side, and anyone interested in how real-world systems — and real-world failures — fuel the most compelling fiction.
Watch the full YouTube video interview: https://youtu.be/nGigV_ulCCI?si=IEw-KXAAuzSoiEqY
Learn more about Ed DeJesus and his work: https://eddejesusauthor.com
Story Impact is hosted by Lisa Towles — award-winning crime novelist and founder of Story Impact Consulting. This literary podcast features visionary authors, filmmakers, and master storytellers, exploring the writing process, creative courage, publishing journeys, and the deeper purpose behind powerful books and films.
Learn more about the Story Impact platform: https://storyimpactconsulting.com
Follow Story Impact on Podbean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadio to stay connected to conversations that elevate storytelling and culture. Subscribe on YouTube for full-length video interviews with today's most compelling authors and cultural voices.
Stories hold the world together.

Story Impact Podcast - Martyn Burke

Lisa Towles, award-winning crime novelist and host of Story Impact, sits down with Martyn Burke to explore narrative truth, investigative storytelling, and writing in the shadow of power.
This episode dives into journalism, documentary filmmaking, historical fiction, and the courage required to confront dangerous realities.
Essential listening for authors, filmmakers, and engaged readers.A literary podcast for serious readers, writers, and creative thinkers.
Martyn Burke is a five-decade veteran of narrative truth whose career spans war correspondence, investigative documentaries, and fiction that refuses to look away. From paying his own way to Vietnam as a young reporter to interviewing Idi Amin, going undercover with the KGB and the Mafia, and creating the landmark film Pirates of Silicon Valley, Burke has built a body of work that interrogates power across mediums.
His distinguished career includes Peabody Awards, Emmy nominations, and an Oscar shortlist for Under Fire: Journalists in Combat. Whether through novels, documentaries, or feature films, Martyn Burke asks a singular question: how does truth survive in the context of power?
In his latest novel, The Gossip Columnist, Burke transports readers to 1930s Berlin, where a young woman weaponizes gossip against Nazi propaganda—turning perceived frivolity into a powerful act of resistance. It’s a story about what happens when truth becomes dangerous, written by someone who has spent a lifetime documenting that danger up close.
In this in-depth author interview, Lisa Towles and Martyn Burke discuss:
Truth under fire — lessons from Vietnam to Silicon Valley
Cross-medium storytelling: novels, documentaries, and film
The making of Pirates of Silicon Valley and mythmaking in tech culture
Going face-to-face with power: Idi Amin, the KGB, and the Mafia
What investigative journalism brings to fiction
Why storytelling remains one of the strongest tools against propaganda
This episode is ideal for novelists, journalists, documentary filmmakers, readers of historical fiction, and creatives interested in political storytelling, media influence, and narrative responsibility.
Watch the full YouTube video interview:https://youtu.be/vV-dlWNfJos?si=eDLRSkuZohUPq_DA
Learn more about Martyn Burke and his work:https://martynburke.com
Story Impact is hosted by Lisa Towles — award-winning crime novelist and founder of Story Impact Consulting. This literary podcast features visionary authors, filmmakers, and master storytellers, exploring the writing process, creative courage, publishing journeys, and the deeper purpose behind powerful books and films.
Learn more about the Story Impact platform:https://storyimpactconsulting.com
Follow Story Impact on Podbean, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts to stay connected to conversations that elevate storytelling and culture. Subscribe on YouTube for full-length video interviews with today’s most compelling authors and cultural voices.
Stories hold the world together.

Story Impact Podcast - Jude Berman

Lisa Towles, award-winning crime novelist and host of Story Impact, sits down with Jude Berman to explore political thrillers, narrative structure, and writing with purpose.
This episode dives into truth, technology, and the responsibility of fiction. Essential listening for authors and engaged readers. A literary podcast for serious readers, writers, and creative thinkers.
Jude Berman is the author of Shot: A Dictionary of the Lost, an innovative literary novel that restores individuality to lives too often reduced to statistics. Through its bold, alphabetized archival structure, the novel reclaims personal narrative in a culture driven by headlines and data.
In her forthcoming political thriller, The Lie, Jude explores misinformation, media influence, technology, and the fragile nature of truth in contemporary society. Her work bridges political reality, ancient wisdom, and modern power — asking what storytelling demands in complicated times.
In this in-depth author interview, Lisa Towles and Jude Berman discuss:
Writing political fiction in today’s media landscape
The craft of structural experimentation and archival storytelling
Cross-cultural communication as creative authority
Restoring lived experience beyond statistics
Why choosing depth and nuance is a radical act
The responsibility of authors in shaping cultural conversations
This episode is ideal for novelists, aspiring writers, readers of literary fiction and political thrillers, and creatives seeking thoughtful, substance-driven conversations about storytelling, culture, and craft.
Watch the full YouTube video interview:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArA0uotL8Ss&list=PLbkr7W9ytZ0YlPKx5flDqGpVzfRllnk2o&index=40
Learn more about Jude Berman and her books:https://judeberman.com
Story Impact is hosted by Lisa Towles — award-winning crime novelist and founder of Story Impact Consulting. This literary podcast features visionary authors and master storytellers, exploring the writing process, creative courage, publishing journeys, and the deeper purpose behind powerful books.
Learn more about the Story Impact platform:https://storyimpactconsulting.com
Follow Story Impact on Podbean, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts to stay connected to conversations that elevate storytelling and culture. Subscribe on YouTube for full-length video interviews with today’s most compelling authors.
Stories hold the world together.

Story Impact Podcast - Stephen Huyler

Award-winning crime novelist and host Lisa Towles interviews cultural historian, photographer, and author Stephen Huyler, renowned for his decades-long immersion in India and his groundbreaking work documenting sacred arts and rural communities. In this deep conversation, Stephen discusses his lifelong journey exploring Indian culture, the inspiration behind his newest memoir, Transformed by India, and the lessons he’s learned about storytelling, humanity, and cross-cultural understanding.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How Stephen Huyler spent over fifty years living, traveling, and working in India to document its hidden cultural landscapes• The philosophy and approach behind his photography, writing, and museum curation• The themes of preservation, transformation, and empathy that shape Transformed by India• Practical insights for writers, storytellers, and artists on observing, listening, and conveying authentic human stories• How deep cultural immersion can inform creative work and inspire meaningful connections across borders
If you love cultural history, memoirs, photography, anthropology, or behind-the-scenes storytelling conversations, this episode will enrich your understanding of India’s extraordinary people and inspire your own creative journey.
➤ Explore Stephen Huyler’s work: https://stephenhuyler.com➤ Learn more about Lisa Towles and her award-winning crime novels: https://lisatowles.com➤ Watch the full video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/koxzhn6m_yI?si=GysF7Huwf-jWLXCc 

Story Impact Podcast - Victoria Zackheim

Welcome to Story Impact! Today, we’re honored to feature Victoria Zackheim—a celebrated author whose storytelling mastery spans mystery, memoir, and the stage. Victoria’s newest book release, The Curtain Falls in Paris, launches a richly atmospheric, region-based mystery series. With gripping suspense, emotional depth, and unforgettable characters, this novel sets the stage for what promises to be a spellbinding trilogy. A distinguished presence in the literary world, Victoria received a rare and prestigious invitation: completing Death Times Seven, the unfinished novel from the late Anne Perry’s beloved Daniel Pitt mystery series. This extraordinary honor is a testament to her skill and reputation in crime fiction. But Victoria’s talent extends far beyond mysteries. She’s the author of The Bone Weaver, and the editor of seven acclaimed anthologies, including the international bestseller The Other Woman, which was adapted into a play with simultaneous readings across the United States. Her work also includes PBS documentary projects, and she has inspired countless emerging writers as a longtime UCLA writing instructor.
In this interview, Victoria shares the inspiration behind The Curtain Falls in Paris, what it was like to continue Anne Perry’s Daniel Pitt series, insights into writing mystery, memoir, and powerful anthologies, craft advice for authors and storytellers, and her career arc across publishing, film, and theater.
Whether you're a mystery reader, an aspiring author, a memoir enthusiast, or a creative seeking inspiration, this conversation offers meaningful takeaways on craft, perseverance, and the power of story. 
Watch the YouTube video interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArA0uotL8Ss&list=PLbkr7W9ytZ0YlPKx5flDqGpVzfRllnk2o&index=40 
Learn more about Victoria Zackheim: https://victoriazackheim.com
Order The Curtain Falls in Paris on Amazon.
Story Impact is a podcast for storytellers, creatives, and change-makers—celebrating voices who shape culture and move hearts through narrative. 
Thank you for listening and being a part of the Story Impact community. 

Story Impact Podcast - Eliot Pattison

Award-winning crime novelist and host Lisa Towles interviews internationally acclaimed author Eliot Pattison, known for the Inspector Shan Tibet mysteries and the Bone Rattler historical series. In this deep craft conversation, Eliot discusses his decades-long writing career, his approach to historical storytelling, and the themes behind his newest release, Freedom’s Ghost.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How Eliot Pattison builds immersive historical worlds using research, cultural depth, and emotional truth• What inspires his two bestselling series — and how he balances accuracy with page-turning suspense• The real history and moral questions behind his new novel Freedom’s Ghost• Practical writing advice for authors working in crime, mystery, and historical fiction• How stories rooted in justice, culture, and moral courage resonate with modern readers
If you love crime fiction, historical mysteries, thriller writing, author interviews, or behind-the-scenes craft discussions, this episode will inspire your writing and deepen your appreciation of Eliot’s extraordinary body of work.
➤ Explore Eliot Pattison’s books: https://eliotpattison.com➤ Learn more about Lisa Towles & her crime novels: https://lisatowles.com➤ Watch the full video version on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lisatowles

Story Impact Podcast - Jeff Circle

Join bestselling crime novelist and podcast host Lisa Towles as she sits down with editor & author Jeff Circle, creator and visionary of the Writer's Dossier Podcast, to explore what drives modern thriller writing — and how moral ambiguity turns good stories into unforgettable ones.
In this episode you’ll discover:
How Jeff curated and edited the new anthology Myopic Duplicity: Do the Ends Ever Justify the Means? And what makes it unique in the thriller world
Why authors should strive to make readers like the “bad guy” — and how that shift in perspective changes everything
Jeff’s personal tips for staying productive amid multiple writing, editing, and podcasting commitments (including why he prioritizes sleep!)
What writers frequently get wrong when depicting law enforcement, military, or intelligence work — so you can avoid the mistakes
Whether you’re an aspiring author, a seasoned pro, or simply love behind-the-scenes of thriller-craft, this conversation is packed with actionable insights, relatable stories, and the spark that might just ignite your next idea.
➤ Get Myopic Duplicity here: https://tinyurl.com/33ahff93 
➤ Find Jeff’s Writer Dossier podcast & newsletter here: https://jeffcircle.com 
➤ Learn more about Lisa Towles & her crime novels here: https://lisatowles.com