HeyJaredBringing Life To Characters
Author R. Weir interviews a diverse range of authors, talking about their journey and what brings life to their characters.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 7
- Latest publication
- Sep 9, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 14, 2026
Latest episodes
Bringing Life To Characters: Episode 80 Alison McBain (opens the original)
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My guest this week is author Alison McBain. Alison was born in Canada, raised in California, and arrived in Canada with a few detours along the way. She has over two hundred poems and short stories published in magazines and anthologies such as Flash Fiction Online, On Spec, and Litro. Her debut and award-winning novel is The Rose Queen: Book 1 of the Rose Trilogy, and was shortly followed by a collection of her short fantasy fiction called Enchantress of Books. When not obsessing over her plan
Bringing Life To Characters: Episode 79 J.T. Ellison (opens the original)
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My guest this week is author J.T. Ellison. J.T. is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels of psychological suspense, including the Taylor Jackson series, the Samantha Owens series, and numerous acclaimed standalones. She is the Emmy Award–winning cohost of A Word on Words, the literary television series on PBS. Over a twenty-year career, her work has earned widespread critical recognition, with titles optioned for television and published in thirty countri
Bringing Life To Characters: Episode 78 Holly B. Gutwillinger (opens the original)
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My guest this week is author Holly B. Gutwillinger. Holly is an author and podcaster from a small northern Ontario town. Her debut novel, North of Broken & Furever Home, launches February 14, 2026, exploring a woman's complex relationship with her rescue dogs. Holly's writing is shaped by her deep love of family—she is the proud mother of two adult sons—and her commitment to the animals who enrich our lives. She holds a certificate in creative writing from the University of Toronto's School of C
Bringing Life To Characters: Episode 77 Chris Underwood (opens the original)
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My guest this week is author Chris Underwood. Chris started seriously writing back in 2012 when his concerns of a power grid failure began to creep into his mind. His concerns festered into a storyline that continued to bug him until he got it on paper. It took five years of honing his craft to get the first book out, but it has been fun sharing the secret.
Bringing Life To Characters: Episode 76 Maria Gallucci (opens the original)
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My guest this week is author Maria Gallucci. Maria is a multi-award-winning real estate agent and proud CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). Growing up as one of six hearing children raised by Deaf parents, she learned ASL before English and helped her parents buy a home at just 12 years old. This experience shaped her passion for inclusive communication and helping those who are often overlooked. For over 30 years, Maria has supported homebuyers from all walks of life, with special focus on the Deaf, H
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