Making a return for his third appearance on StoryBeat is the great jazz and world flutist, Michael Mason.  Michael’s been a professional musician and composer for forty years, while simultaneously working in the fire service of the Downers...

Doctor Tom Stein recently published his first book, Gratitude Is Not Enough, The True Story of a Belgian Family Forever Changed by a Band of American WWII Soldiers. The book focuses on the Remember Museum ‘39-‘45 in Clermont, Belgium that was o...

Robert Monroe worked for more than a decade as a New York casting director and talent executive. His credits include projects with the Walt Disney Company, the John Houseman Theater, the Annual MDA Telethon, and the United Paramount Network....

Screenwriter, producer, and podcaster Adam “Tex” Davis is best known for writing the screenplay of the cult rom-com classic Just Friends, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Amy Smart, and Anna Faris. He also wrote the screenplay for the drama Gardener ...

Adam Rosenbaum recently published his beautifully written book, The Ghost Rules. I’ve read The Ghost Rules and can tell you this is a thoroughly charming, fun and funny story about 12-year-old Elwood McGee, who never asked to have “...

Documentary film director Laura Gabbert has made critically acclaimed films that deploy humor and emotion to tell penetrating, character-driven stories about American culture and society. Among her documentaries, Food and Country, p...

L. A. Starks is the author of the award-winning Lynn Dayton thriller series that includes: 13 Days: The Pythagoras Conspiracy, the multi-award-nominated Strike Price, The Second Law, and the recently released Winner’s Curse.   ...

Hal Ackerman is making his second appearance on StoryBeat. Hal spent thirty years teaching screenwriting in UCLA’s legendary screenwriting program. Along with Richard Walter and Lew Hunter, Hal helped launch the careers of many dozens of writer...

David Paul Kirkpatrick is the former Walt Disney Studios production chief and also the former president of Paramount Pictures. He’s worked on more than 200 motion pictures and their screenplays, including such global franchises as Indiana Jones...

Theresa Griffin Kennedy is a longtime Portland, Oregon writer, author and occasional poet.  She works as a proofreader, developmental editor and is chief editor of Oregon Greystone Press. Theresa writes both creative nonfiction...

         Ana Benitez is one of the founders of Storyrocket.com, a leading internet site where thousands of writers from around the world showcase their works to producers and agents.  Ana’s mission is to help educa...

R.J. Stewart spent more than 20 years as a writer and producer in Hollywood. He got his first break writing for the NBC romantic-detective drama, Remington Steele that starred Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist.  He’s best known for de...

This is an encore of our episode with the great director, Rob Marshall. He has made numerous films that have been honored with a total of 30 Academy Award nominations — winning 9 in all, including Best Picture for “

Martin Dugard is the New York Times bestselling author known for his nonfiction works and historical thrillers, among them Taking London, Taking Paris, Taking Berlin, the Killing series with Bill O’Reilly, Into Africa, and The Explorers. <...

Mark Arnold is a comic book, animation and pop culture historian. He’s published 10 books and numerous articles in various publications. His books include: "The Harveyville Fun Times!", "If You're Cracked, You're Happy: The Story of...

Michael Buzzelli calls himself a stand-up comedian and sit-down author. Michael’s performed comedy nationwide, most notably at three legendary clubs, the Ice House, the Comedy Store, and the Improv in Los Angeles. As a writer, Micha...

Jeff Leisawitz burns with a mission— to inspire and teach Storytellers and Creatives of every flavor to open minds and connect hearts with their words and stories. Jeff is a Grand LIA, Cannes Lion Gold and Clio Gold award-winning Creative Consu...

Mark Jonathan Harris is a three-time Oscar-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, as well as an award-winning author of 10 books, a distinguished professor of film of four decades, and an acclaimed journalist. His newest book, Misfits, is a coll...

Richard Walter is making his second appearance on StoryBeat. Richard is an author of best-selling fiction and nonfiction, a celebrated storytelling educator, screenwriter, script consultant, lecturer and retired professor who led the legendary ...

Heavy metal rock legend, Carl Canedy, and writer Phillip “Doc” Harrington, recently published Carl’s autobiography, Tales of a Wild Dog, Memoirs of a Rock Warrior. Since the age of 5, after observing a striking red drum set at a wedding recepti...

Christopher Akerlind, has designed lighting, and occasionally scenery, for over 650 productions of theater, opera, and dance across the U.S. and around the world, including 24 shows on Broadway. Chris’s recent work includes Waiting ...

Laura Pliskin is a talented art department coordinator who has contributed to some of the most visually stunning sets in film and television history.Laura has worked on projects like "Twisters," "Drive-Away Dolls,", and "Out of the Furna...

The writer, Jon Kremer, has lived in Bournemouth, a town on the south-coast of England, since he was a teenager, coinciding with the start of the 1960s.  That famous decade of cultural change allowed him to experience many aspects of the U...

            My guest today, the noted muralist, John Cerney, is a Salinas, California native whose artwork can best be described as ‘giant cut-out plywood art’ that’s ordinarily viewed from the comfort of your car....

Veteran theater and film actor James Sutorius has performed for the most prestigious regional and repertory theater companies including The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Center Theatre Group, South Coast Repertory, and Pasadena Playhouse. He’s...