In this episode, host Terry Shepherd sits down with authors Ashley Wren Collins and Jordan Rockwell to discuss their collaborative romantic comedy, She Wrote, He Wrote: A New York Love Story. Set against the "beautifully chaotic" backdrop of New York City, the novel offers a unique split narrative that explores a single romance from two very different perspectives.

Inside the Story

The book follows the parallel journeys of two aspiring New Yorkers:

• Joanna: An East Village writer navigating a cramped walk-up, eccentric roommates, and a questionable boss.
• Logan: A Wall Street professional attempting to make his own mark while escaping the heavy expectations of his wealthy Connecticut family.

A Partnership Born of "Sparks and Laughter"

Ashley and Jordan share the delightful—and often hilarious—true story of their own meeting, which involves years of "near misses" before finally connecting at a multi-day wedding extravaganza in St. Martin. From failed pickup lines on the beach to Jordan’s ill-fated "crush" on a wedding band leader, they reveal how their real-life friendship and "riffing" eventually evolved into a professional writing partnership.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The Art of Collaboration: How the duo balances Jordan’s focus on structure and outlines with Ashley’s emphasis on flow, humor, and "nurturing" the narrative.
• Literary Inspirations: The influence of New York staples like Sex and the City, How I Met Your Mother, and Wedding Crashers on their work.
• Writing for Everyone: Why this "chick-lit" inspired story actually skews heavily toward the male perspective, making it a relatable read for "the fellows" as much as the traditional romance audience.
• Dealing with Rejection: The authors discuss "thickening their skin" and treating rejection as a stepping stone to the finish line.
• A Sincere Dedication: Why the pair decided to dedicate the book to all of their ex-partners.

Whether you are looking for the perfect "tequila-at-the-beach" summer read or an inside look at how two screenwriters tackle their first novel, this conversation is packed with humor, heart, and insight into the "dance" of storytelling.

"We’re not trying to change the world, but we need more joy. It’s a joyful book." — Jordan Rockwell

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SOS: James Grady on Hometown Secrets, "Shadows on Sidewalks," and Reshaping the Thriller

Episode Summary There are writers who define a genre, and then there are those who quietly reshape it from the inside out. In this episode, host Terry Shepherd is joined by legendary thriller author James Grady, whose breakout novel Six Days of the Condor originally introduced audiences to a world where paranoia, power, and survival collide.

Grady discusses his latest novel, Shadows on Sidewalks—also known by its thematic abbreviation SOS—which is set in a small Montana town. The narrative follows protagonist James Trayvin, a man drawn back home by family obligations who quickly becomes entangled in a tightening web of deception, desire, and looming violence. Throughout the conversation, Grady shares his philosophies on storytelling, the profound influence of authors like Elmore Leonard on his relentless narrative pacing, and the absolute necessity of weaving real-world contemporary tensions into modern fiction.

Topics Discussed:

• The Pull of Nostalgia: Grady explores how our hometowns shape us forever and why returning home can serve as both a fascinating refuge and a dangerous, ticking-clock trap.
• Real-World Horrors: The complex character of Lana LaBuff was crafted to spotlight the tragic reality of murders, disappearances, and discrimination faced by Indigenous women on reservations.
• Moral Ambiguity: A deep dive into how characters today are rarely inherently good or bad, but are simply humans navigating situations where making the "wrong" choice might be the only way to protect their loved ones.
• The Craft of Suspense: Grady explains his method for balancing psychological suspense with erotic tension, the importance of stripping away unnecessary adverbs, and why he allows his characters to organically hijack the dialogue and dictate the story's unconventional ending.
• An Author's Origin: Discover how growing up in a highly isolated Montana town with a movie theater manager father and a librarian mother provided the perfect cultural foundation for Grady’s global writing career.
• Words to Live By: Grady shares the heartfelt family motto that guides his personal life: "Do Good Walk True, and Be Happy".

More about James Grady.

We all inevitably become the brand. And that's why I wrote, "How to Become a Dynamic Podcast Guest and Sell Stuff." It's a sweet and short primer that teaches you about the gear, the appearance and the messaging that can grab and hold today's micro-attention spans and motivate your listeners to take action. It's Just a dollar ninety nine at Amazon. Grab your copy today and sell mo

Reclaiming a Faded Past: Mario Cartaya’s Journey Back to Cuba

In this episode, host Terry Shepherd speaks with acclaimed architect and author Mario Cartaya about his memoir, Journey Back Into the Vault: In Search of My Faded Cuban Childhood Footprints.

Fleeing Cuba at age eight after his father’s life was threatened, Mario suppressed his childhood memories for 56 years. After returning to the island, which he describes as being like a clock that stopped in 1959, he experienced a profound psychological reunion with his past.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The Escape: Why his family had to leave Cuba in September of 1960 and the psychological encapsulation that locked away his memories.
• The Return: The powerful moment on a Havana balcony where his Cuban and American lives finally reunited.
• Architecture & Identity: How childhood toys, like an erector set and a toy crane, shaped his successful career as an architect.
• A Message of Peace: The importance of finding inner peace and his hopes for a free, transparent, and democratic Cuba with a capitalist economy.

About Our Guest:Mario Cartaya is an author and the founder of an acclaimed architectural firm in Fort Lauderdale. His work and life achievements have been entered into the United States Congressional Record.

Connect with Mario Cartaya:

• Website: MarioCartaya.com

We all inevitably become the brand. And that's why I wrote, "How to Become a Dynamic Podcast Guest and Sell Stuff." It's a sweet and short primer that teaches you about the gear, the appearance and the messaging that can grab and hold today's micro-attention spans and motivate your listeners to take action. It's Just a dollar ninety nine at Amazon. Grab your copy today and sell mo