Storytelling with Steven James & Lynn Constantine

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Bestselling author Steven James hosts Lynn Constantine on the Story Blender Podcast

 

 

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This podcast originally appears on thestoryblender.com Feb. 19, 2019. Duration: 55 min.

 

Lynne Constantine is a coffee-drinking, Twitter-addicted fiction author always working on her next book. She is the international bestselling co-author of THE LAST MRS. PARRISH written under the pen name Liv Constantine. Her next book, THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU, comes out on May 7th.

 

 

 

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The internationally bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrishfollows that success with an addictive novel filled with shocking twists about the aftermath of a brutal high-society murder.

Dr. Kate English has it all. Not only is she the heiress to a large fortune; she has a gorgeous husband and daughter, a high-flying career, and a beautiful home anyone would envy.

But all that changes the night Kate’s mother, Lily, is found dead, brutally murdered in her own home. Heartbroken and distraught, Kate reaches out to her estranged best friend, Blaire Barrington, who rushes to her side for the funeral, where the years of distance between them are forgotten in a moment.

That evening, Kate’s grief turns to horror when she receives an anonymous text: You think you’re sad now, just wait. By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll wish you had been buried today. More than ever, Kate needs her old friend’s help.

Once Blaire decides to take the investigation into her own hands, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems in Baltimore high society. As infidelity, lies, and betrayals come to light, and tensions rise to a boiling point, she begins to alienate Kate’s friends and relatives with her relentless, accusatory questions, as she tries to find Lily’s killer. The murderer could be anyone—friend, neighbor, loved one. But whoever it is, it’s clear that Kate is next on their list. . .

In The Last Time I Saw You, Liv Constantine takes the lightning pace of The Last Mrs. Parrish and raises the stakes, creating an exquisitely tension-filled and absorbing tale of psychological suspense in which innocent lives—and one woman’s sanity—hang in the balance.

 

Amazon | Goodreads | Website

 

 

 

Liv Constantine authors

 

Liv Constantine is the pen name of USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and international bestselling authors and sisters Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine, co-authors of the Reese Witherspoon book club pick, THE LAST MRS. PARRISH. Separated by three states, they spend hours plotting via FaceTime and burning up each other’s emails. They attribute their ability to concoct dark story lines to the hours they spent listening to tales handed down by their Greek grandmother. Their next book, THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU, will be released on May 7, 2019.

 

 

livconstantine.com

 

stevenjames.net

 

thestoryblender.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author Steven James hosts special guest Mark Greaney on the Story Blender Podcast

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Author Steven James hosts special guest Mark Greaney on the Story Blender Podcast

 

Original air date Jan. 22, 2018 Length 50 min. Audio Link

 

 

Mark Greaney

 

Mark Greaney is the #1 NYT bestselling author of TOM CLANCY TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE. He has written or cowritten seven Tom Clancy novels, and is also the bestselling author of the Gray Man series, including GUNMETAL GRAY, BACK BLAST, DEAD EYE, BALLISTIC, ON TARGET, and THE GRAY MAN.

Mark lives in Memphis, Tennessee

 

The Gray Man is back in another nonstop international thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan novel

 

Agent in Place Audiobook

 

Learn more at MARKGREANEYBOOKS.COM

 

 

 

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A Special Talk with Bestselling Author Steven James

Whispers and secrets

 

 

I had opportunity to ask a few questions from one of my favorite authors and storytellers, Steven James. If you haven’t heard of Steve yet; he’s the critically acclaimed author of the Patrick Bowers Files, the Blur Trilogy, the Jevin Banks series, as well as books on the writing craft.

Steven James also teams up with another Bestselling author, Robert Dugoni, who both are instructors at the Novel Writing Intensive Retreat.

 

Other notables…

  • Steven hosts a great podcast called the “The Story Blender” where he interviews leading storytellers in film, print, and web.
  • His book Story Trumps Structure won a storytelling award.
  • Has twice served as Master Craftfest instructor at ThrillerFest a premier training event for suspense writers.
  • International Thriller Award Finalist, Retailers Choice Award Finalist, Suspense Magazine Book of the Year, Best Crime Thriller Christy Award, and multiple Christy Awards.

 

So if you haven’t been on the bandwagon yet, hop on in!

 

 

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From your recent interviews on the Storyblender which things have stood out to you? Or what have you learned?

A couple of moments pop to mind. When I was interviewing Sandra Brown, she mentioned asking herself the question “What do I know that readers don’t?” and, I believe, in her book she tries only to reveal this on the last page. I thought that was a great question to ask. When I spoke with Hollywood producer Steve La Rue, I asked him who was the main character in the X Files, one of the shows that he championed. He told me that it was Scully because she’s the one who’s transformed throughout the series. This is something that I had believed myself and it was informative to have him confirm it. It’s hard to choose, as our guests have been wonderful, and the interviews are always informative, not just to listeners but also to me.

 

 

 

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In Every Wicked Man, do you have any thoughts on how the next case affects Patrick Bowers?
 
Every Wicked Man is really a story that ties together the prequel series with the chess series, completing the narrative circle. Although Patrick certainly has his work cut out for him tackling the case in this book, it’s a much more intimate look at his relationship with Christie, his wife, and Tessa, his stepdaughter, as he steps into the role of being a father-figure for her.
According to your experience as a storyteller and reader how would you define the imagination?
What an interesting question. I’m not sure how to define the imagination, but I certainly try to appeal to it through the stories that I tell and write. I feel like one of the best ways to do so is through sharing instances where people can identify with either the emotion of an experience or the truth that the story conveys. Very often, humor comes in pointing out truth that people haven’t noticed yet. Sometimes this can be done through exaggeration, but when an audience or when readers identify with something, nod their heads and say “yes, that’s true” or “yes, I’ve experienced that,” then you’ve made the connection to their beliefs and their imaginations.
Are  you pumped for the upcoming ITW online Thriller school?
I’m always excited to share insights that I’ve learned over the last twenty years of being a writer, but this event holds a special place for me because it is targeted at those who write suspense or thrillers just as I do. Another great opportunity that your tribe might be interested in is the Character Conference I’m teaching in October in Atlanta with a couple of other mystery/suspense writers (www.characterconference.com). For anyone who signs up through this interview, if they use the code ALUMNI, they can receive a $25 discount on the registration cost. 

Pulling the Rug Out: The Keys to Creating Great Twists by Steven James

 

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When a basketball player pivots, he keeps one foot in place while spinning to the side to change direction.

That’s what a plot twist does.

The story’s new direction doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s rooted in the overall context of the story, but it takes everyone by surprise.

Also, the momentum that appeared to be moving the story in one direction actually propels it into a new, even more meaningful one.

Look for ways to make every scene pivot away from expectation toward satisfaction.

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