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The Thoughtful Bro

Mark Cecil

The Thoughtful Bro, hosted by Mark Cecil, is a podcast for writers, readers, and anyone interested in a tale well told. Each episode features an author who's recently published a book, and we unpack how and why they wrote it. It's "Inside the Actors Studio"...but for storytellers.

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22 episodes
Avg 1 hr 3 min
English

Episodes 22

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Friday · 56 min
Episode 93: Irvine Welsh
My chat with Scottish literary punk icon Irvine Welsh, who came on to discuss his sequel to Trainspotting, Men In Love. We covered, (1) the impact of his iconic, generational film thirty years later, (2) how AI is trying to make us all redundant, and how creative expression is how to strike back, and (3) why you don't have to choose between your hooligan and artsy sides of your personality. Just be both. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
August 21 · 1 hr 6 min
Episode 92: Teddy Wayne
My chat with Teddy Wayne about his latest literary thriller, The Au Pair. We covered (1) techniques for writing a bingeable book that can beat prestige TV at its own game; (2) the unexpected way he figured out the devilish final twist for his ending, and (3) why ambition and sex are the inexhaustible engines of delectable storytelling. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
July 31 · 1 hr 5 min
Episode 91: Matthew Quick
My talk with Silver Linings Playbook author Matthew Quick, discussing his poignant memoir, Dad, Love, Me. We covered, (1) his effort to end the cycle of generational abuse by caring for his father who now has dementia, (2) how trauma served as both a blessing and a curse, fueling a creative outpouring that carried Matthew to global fame, but also driving him to alcoholism, and (3) how true forgiveness is not a one-and-done conversation, but a lifelong, daily practice. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
July 24 · 59 min
Episode 90: Caroline Kepnes
My interview with Caroline Kepnes, creator of the You series, on her latest Joe Goldberg book, You First. We discussed (1) how she created a voice that's so electric and hypnotic, (2) what Joe Goldberg understands about people that allows him to manipulate them so well, and (3) the one thing that makes a character someone you root for, no matter how despicable they may be. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
July 10 · 1 hr 7 min
Episode 89: Kimberly Hensle Lowrance
My talk with my good friend Kimberly Hensle Lowrance on her debut novel What Remains Of You. We covered: (1) the architecture of planting a "phat hook" in the first few pages to snag a reader good; (2) why she didn't give up on the nine-year road to getting her first book released; and (3) what happens when an ardent and outspoken supporter of indie bookstores gets her debut novel published by Amazon. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
June 25 · 1 hr 1 min
Episode 88: Dane Bahr
My interview with Dane Bahr on his prohibition era thriller, one part David Mamet, one part Cormac McCarthy, The Dead Ringer. We discussed: (1) being a literary guy among diesel mechanics; (2) how he's activated to the highest expression by the darkest underbellies and hardest truths; and (3) being a typewriter guy in the age of the Interwebs. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
June 5 · 1 hr 7 min
Episode 87: Courtney Maum
My one-on-one with Courtney Maum, re her latest novel Alan Opts Out. We covered: (1) The longing for the better aspects of the pandemic, when the whole world, for one brief moment, opted out, (2) her lifelong struggles with plot, and (3) the most important rule for a writer: don't be ruled by envy. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
May 22 · 1 hr 3 min
Episode 86: Jordan Ritter Conn
My interview with ESPN/The Ringer writer Jordan Ritter Conn about his new work of narrative non-fiction, American Men. We covered: (1) How men cope with the gap between who they truly are and their ideal of masculinity, (2) what the manosphere tells men they need, versus what they *actually* need to lead fulfilling lives, and (3) how the most important thing men need to realize is that they can't do it alone. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
May 8 · 1 hr 11 min
Episode 85: Isaac Fitzgerald
My talk with a true American Rambler, Isaac Fitzgerald, whose latest is about walking in the footsteps of folklore icon Johnny Appleseed. We chatted re: (1) the tradition of literary quests in search of the spirit of America, (2) how the *real* America ain't what's on your screens, and (3) why the book publishing industry is not in the danger people say—books still make lots of money and *no one* wants their great literature written by AI. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
May 1 · 52 min
Episode 84: Dr. Brennan Spiegel
My interview with Dr. Brennan Spiegel on his new book, Pull, about how to overthrow our oldest oppressor—gravity. We discussed: (1) how your relationship with gravity impacts your health—both mind and body; (2) how becoming gravity-resilient is a goal we all should shoot for, and (3) tips for writing lucid, compelling non-fiction, and making complicated scientific issues easy for the lay reader to grasp. Bonus—a hidden talent for beatboxing may be revealed (!!!) Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
March 13 · 1 hr 5 min
Episode 83: Andrew Krivak
My talk with National Book Award-nominee Andrew Krivak, discussing his latest novel, Mule Boy, a book that Publishers Weekly called "flawless." We covered (1) the importance of wrestling with the old, hard, elemental questions through words; (2) the pride of 20th century coal miners, who loved their treacherous work; and (3) how Andrew learned to tell stories from his grandmother, the one who really made him into a writer. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
February 20 · 1 hr 5 min
Episode 82: Christopher Castellani
My probing discussion with Christopher Castellani re his brand-new literary/true crime novel Last Seen. We discussed (1) the Smiley Face Murder Theory, (2) how understanding the motives of your narrator is the key to any story, and (3) the real reason why some writers give up, and some keep going. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
January 28 · 1 hr 6 min
Episode 81: Patrick Ryan
My chat with "overnight success" and One Story editor-in-chief Patrick Ryan, who published his debut novel for adults, Buckeye, at 60 years old, and it became the runaway hit of last year. We discussed (1) how novels have the unique ability to present audiences with the grand sweep of time; (2) what was different about Buckeye from the six or seven novels he wrote before it that didn't get published; and (3) his long, twisty journey to literary stardom late in life, a tale full of gratitude and fortitude, one that gives nourishment and hope to any aspiring artist. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
January 16 · 1 hr 2 min
Episode 80: Jenna Blum
My fab interview with the legendary Jenna Blum, who's written one of the most purely entertaining books I've read in ages, Murder Your Darlings. I was there for the whole life cycle of this book, from the moment she thought of it, all the way to launch. We discussed: (1) making a mid-career genre pivot, (2) the keys to a good sex scene, and (3) what it means to be writing popcorn-munching, fun-forward fare in times of turmoil. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
Dec 13, 2025 · 59 min
Episode 79: Ottessa Moshfegh
My galvanizing 1:1 with one of the coolest writers out there, Ottessa Moshfegh. We discussed: (1) what happens when an artist is open about their world-sized ambitions; (2) the connection between the artist and the "god" (for lack of a better word) of creativity; and (3) how to create the kind of art that Mick Jagger himself recommends: the kind that "achieves madness." Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
Nov 30, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
Episode 78: Julian Brave NoiseCat
My talk with Oscar-nominated director ("Sugarcane") and first time author Julian Brave NoiseCat, on his new memoir/"coyote story" We Survived The Night. We discussed (1) a father son saga so improbable, it almost requires a higher power to explain it, (2) the haunting legacy of indigenous genocide at mission schools, and (3) the healing power of myth...in particular, how the oral tradition of the trickster coyote can bring reconciliation and understanding to the world. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
Nov 21, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
Episode 77: Elaine Castillo
My electrifying interview with Elaine Castillo, author of Moderation, which the New Yorker called "one of the best books of the year." We discussed (1) the psychological hellscape of the content moderator, one of the worst jobs on earth; (2) the redemptive power of VR therapeutics, and (3) how the most interesting kinds of characters are often those who are certain they are right, but are absolutely wrong. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
Nov 14, 2025 · 47 min
Episode 76: Jon Hickey
My chat with Jon Hickey, author of the timely debut novel Big Chief, a study of big egos, bad blood, and mudslinging reservation politics. We discussed: (1) the power of belonging, and how it drives power stuggles; (2) the sorrow of losing touch with your culture, and (3) the patient work of trying to make characters come alive on the page. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
Oct 24, 2025 · 1 hr 11 min
Episode 75: Jennifer Armentrout
My interview with one of the queens of Romantasy, Jennifer L. Armentrout, discussing her latest in the bestselling Blood And Ash series. We discussed (1) The psychological underpinnings of popular tropes (The Chosen One, Enemies To Lovers); (2) What she'd fix about publishing (hire editors outside of New York!); and (3) How, exactly, to publish 70 books in under 15 years (Answer: work 12 hour days, seven days a week, and never feel like you've actually made it.) Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.
Oct 17, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
Episode 74: Stephen Greenblatt
My *utterly electric* convo with one of the great non-fiction writers and scholars of our time, Stephen Greenblatt. Stephen is the Pulitzer Prize winning/bestselling author of some of my favorite books EVER about literary history (including The Swerve), and he's out now with Dark Renaissance, about the troubled, complex genius of Shakespeare's top rival, Chris Marlowe. We discussed (1) how Marlowe, the same age as the Bard, was a far more important writer than Shakespeare when he was stabbed to death at 29; (2) how Elizabethan London was a North Korea-like tinderbox of political repression and censorship; and (3) how Greenblatt's entire career has been guided by a profound desire to communicate with the great spirits long deceased. Order Mark'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 and Writer's Bone.

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