Neil O'Brien

Author, journalist, and media historian Patrick Jankiewicz interviews legendary blacksmith and Hollywood armorer Tony Swatton — the master craftsman behind some of film’s most iconic weapons and props. Swatton’s creations include the Zenith Blade from League of Legends, Wolverine’s claws from X-Men, and the Infinity Gauntlet from The Avengers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Hoeler is the Editorial Director of Fiction & Special Projects at Random House Worlds, a division of Penguin Random House. He specializes in developing and editing fiction across major licensed properties, including Star Wars, Magic: The Gathering, and World of Warcraft, playing a key role in bringing immersive storytelling to fans worldwide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil O’Brien is a Senior Broadcast Producer at NBC News Specials and an Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist with over two decades of in the industry. He is the author of After Disney: Toil, Trouble, and the Transformation of America’s Favorite Media Company, which explores the dramatic succession struggles and creative transformations at Walt Disney Productions following Walt Disney’s death, revealing how the company evolved into the modern entertainment powerhouse it is today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PAULA MUNIER is the Senior Agent and Director of Storytelling for Talcott Notch Literary and USA TODAY bestselling author of the Mercy Carr mysteries from Minotaur. Over her 20-plus years in the business, she’s conceived, created, produced, and marketed exceptional content in all formats across all markets for such media giants as WGBH, Fidelity, Disney, Gannett, S&S, Quarto, Greenspun Media Group, among others. She represents both fiction and nonfiction; her clients run the gamut from debut authors to New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling authors who’ve won/been shortlisted for such honors as the Edgar, Thriller, Agatha, and Anthony awards as well as the Pushcart Prize, AWP, and PEN awards. Many of her clients’ works have been adapted for stage and screen.She’s also the author of three popular books on writing: The Writer’s Guide to Beginnings: How to Craft Story Openings That Sell, Writing with Quiet Hands: How to Shape Your Writing to Resonate with Readers, Plot Perfect: How to Build Unforgettable Stories Scene by Scene, as well as Happier Every Day: Simple Ways to Bring More Peace, Contentment, and Joy into Your Life, and the acclaimed memoir Fixing Freddie: The True Story of a Boy, a Mom, and a Very, Very Bad Beagle.Paula also writes the award-winning, bestselling Mercy Carr series: A Borrowing of Bones, the first in the series, was nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award and named the Dogwise Book of the Year. Blind Search also won a Dogwise Award. The Hiding Place and The Wedding Plot both appeared on several “Best Of” lists. Home at Night was named Library Journal’s Mystery Pick of the Month. The latest in the series, THE NIGHT WOODS, is her humble homage to The Odyssey, complete with raging waters, wild boar, loyal dogs, and murder. THE NIGHT WOODS received glowing reviews, including a starred Library Journal review, and hit many “Best Of” lists. The next, THE SNOW LIES DEEP, debuts in December 2025.Along with her love of nature, Paula credits the hero dogs of Mission K9 Rescue, her own rescue dogs, and a deep affection for New England as her series’ major influences. She lives in New England with her family and four rescue dogs and Ursula The Cat, a rescue torbie tabby who does not think much of the dogs. For more, check out www.paulamunier.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David L. Robbins is the author of seventeen novels, including two bestselling works, War of the Rats and The End of War. Known for his gripping historical fiction, Robbins has also made a mark as a co-founder of the James River Writers and as the founder of the Richmond-based Podium Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katharine Sands is a literary agent with the Sarah Jane Freymann Agency in New York City. She is the agent provocateur of Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch A Literary Agent’s Eye. She has been a guest speaker on writing and publishing for Poets and Writers, The American Society of Journalists and Authors, UCLA, New York University, and the New York State Council on the Arts.Katharine has worked with a varied list of authors who publish a diverse array of books including fiction, memoir and non-fiction. Among the books she represents are: The Apothecary’s Curse, by Bram Stoker Award nominee Barbara Barnett; Girl Walks Out of a Bar, a memoir by Lisa Smith that was featured by People Magazine as Notable Nonfiction; and I'm Speaking: Every Woman's Guide to Finding Her Voice and Using It Fearlessly by Jessica Doyle Mekkes.Katharine likes books that have a clear benefit for readers’ lives in categories of food, travel, lifestyle, home arts, beauty, wisdom, relationships, parenting, and fresh looks, which might be at issues, life challenges or popular culture. When reading fiction she wants to be compelled and propelled by urgent storytelling, and hooked by characters. For memoir, femoir, and himoir, she likes to be transported to a world rarely or newly observed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Damon West, M.S. Criminal Justice, is a college professor, internationally known keynote speaker, 3 x Wall Street Journal bestselling author and former crime boss in Dallas, who was sentenced to Life in prison for Organized Crime. USA Today calls him the “modern day Shawshank Redemption and the most in-demand speaker in America.”At 20 years old, he was a Division 1 starting quarterback at the University of North Texas, when he suffered a career ending injury and turned to hardcore drugs to cope with disappointments of life. After graduation, he worked in the United States Congress and trained to be a stockbroker for United Bank of Switzerland (UBS). One day at UBS, he was introduced to methamphetamines; he became instantly hooked—and the lives of so many innocent people would forever be changed by the choices he made in order to feed his insatiable meth habit. After a fateful discussion during his incarceration with a seasoned convict, Damon had a spiritual awakening. He learned that, like a coffee bean changing with the application of heat and pressure, he was capable of changing the environment around him. Armed with a program of recovery, a renewed faith, and a miraculous second chance at life, Damon emerged from over seven years of prison a changed man. On parole in Texas until 2073, his story is one of hope, redemption, grit and the resilience of the Human spirit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christina Lopez is an assistant editor at St. Martin’s Press, where she started as an intern in 2021 and worked her way up. In her time at SMP, she has worked on a wide array of books in several genres and with several amazing authors including Katherine Center, Kristin Hannah, and Sally Hepworth. She loves books that make her feel big emotions and is passionate about giving a voice to writers of underrepresented backgrounds.Christina graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a double major in English and International Relations. Aside from reading, she enjoys spending time with her cat, Nova and watching bad reality TV. Originally from the sunny border town of El Paso, she currently lives in Austin, Texas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lisa Sharkey, SVP Director of Creative Development of HarperCollins Publishers, opens up about her journey into the publishing industry after working as Senior Producer for “Good Morning America” and President of Al Roker Entertainment. She has overseen the acquisition and publication of more than fifty New York Times Bestsellers, including multiple number-one bestsellers. A two-time Emmy Award winner, she received the Peabody and Dupont Awards for her work on the ABC News team during 9/11. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marco De Molina is a 2022 Grammy Nominated film producer and co-founder of the independent production company Spacebrain. He has received international acclaim at prestigious film festivals worldwide, including the Festival de Cannes. De Molina has also produced countless music videos for chart-topping musicians in all genres, from metal to pop, receiving numerous nominations and wins at the MTV VMAs and UKMVAs, including a Grammy Nomination for Best Music Video for LIL NAS X “Montero (Call Me By Your Name.)” His projects in commercial production have brought him together with some of the biggest brands and IPs worldwide, including his work with “Survivors,” a video game from the hit TV series franchise THE WALKING DEAD. De Molina and his wife, Roza Marchenko, have produced content for streaming platforms like Amazon Prime and Netflix. They currently have multiple feature films and television series in various stages of development. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.