Dedicated with Doug Brunt

Melissa Francis: French Tart (2 ounces vodka, 1 ounce elderflower liquor, 1 ounce grapefruit juice, 1/4 ounce lemon juice, 1/4 ounce rosemary simple syrup, served up and garnished with rosemary sprig)Melissa talks about a poolside, cigarette-filled run-in with Giselle, discusses beginning her acting career at the age of six months, praises the way Michael Landon paved the way for other actors to bring their own ideas to the screen, reveals her admiration for the work of former co-star Jason Bateman, determines whether Elizabeth Banks really played her in an episode of 30 Rock, shares her process for writing her memior, and what she's learned about how to structure TV writing from several classes she's taken and recommends to anyone wanting to write for TV. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Steve Forbes: pilsnerSteve Forbes names his picks for the two best business leaders in American history, discusses the future of crypto currency, identifies the foreign economies poised to grow and the American real estate markets that are currently undervalued, analyzes the parallels of Grover Cleveland (1892) and Donald Trump (2024), sheds light on how to fix the nation's inflation problem, and reveals the story of how the Forbes 400 came about. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chris Bohjalian: Negroni (1 1/2 ounces Barr Hill gin, 1 1/12 ounces Campari, 1 1/12 ounces sweet vermouth, orange twist)Chris tells us his thoughts on Kaley Cuoco playing the lead role in the HBO adaptation of his novel THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, lists the three things he does to get ready to begin each of his novels, discusses how he's evolved as a writer in the 35 years since the best selling novelist of all time blurbed his debut novel, reveals how he made the leap from working in advertising at J. Walter Thompson to being a novelist as well as his thoughts on retirement, and he promises to try a day of writing after combining Red Bull with one other secret ingredient. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Leigh Bardugo: French 75 (1 ounce gin, 1/2 ounce lemon juice, 1/4 ounce simple syrup mixed in shaker then poured in champagne flute, topped with champagne and lemon twist)Leigh discusses Skull & Bones, Wolf's Head and the secret societies of Yale that are the backdrop of her books, whether people in the secret societies have embraced her books or gotten angry, having to put legal disclaimers on her books as real people are mentioned, her writing process for creating the universe that her books explore, the line between 'young adult' and 'adult' fiction, camping out for a George R.R. Martin book signing, and the value of creating in secret. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Craig Mazin: Old Fashioned (1 teaspoon sugar, 3 dashes bitters, 1 teaspoon water, 2 1/2 ounces bourbon, orange twist, Luxardo cherry optional)2-time Emmy Award winner Craig Mazin discusses his new HBO show THE LAST OF US based in the very popular video game, The Sopranos and the Golden Age of TV, the brilliance of the 'Limited Series' format for scripted and unscripted content, the HBO limited series CHERNOBYL and the very fraught sliding scale of journalistic responsibility shown by the creators of documentaries and docu-dramas, and his crazy casting story with Sir Anthony Hopkins. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dennis Lehane: Chopin vodka over crushed iceCan't say I loved this drink, but it grew on me (a little) over the course of our conversation. Dennis discusses his book to film experiences with his novels MYSTIC RIVER, SHUTTER ISLAND, GONE BABY GONE, LIVE BY NIGHT and working with Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, Ben Affleck, Sean Penn, Leonardo DiCaprio; how his life changed dramatically with the smash success of MYSTIC RIVER in 2001, making his bones writing in the 1990s while competing with and congratulating his contemporaries and friends Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Harlan Coben; how he approaches teaching fiction-writing to Harvard students and what students can expect to learn from him, how a show gets made beginning with the option of the book rights all the way to the show appearing on the small screen - using the example of Black Bird for which he was showrunner, and the number one thing a person must have to be a good writer. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Anna Quindlen: mocktail to-be-named (seltzer, simple syrup, lime juice, fresh basil)Anna discusses her novel One True Thing and how she felt about her friend Meryl Streep in the lead role of the film adaptation; her unsparing thoughts on social media; her morning routine and process for writing books; the lasting effects of her mother’s remark to her; the New Jersey Hall of Fame; a beautiful piece of advice. [Also a comparison of Anna to Rocky Balboa which I should have described as unusual rather than low-brow] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

David Duchovny: Paloma, or Tequila Greyhound (2 ounces tequila blanco, 2 ounces grapefruit juice, splash of club soda)David discusses bunking up with JFK Junior while in high school, shares important lessons learned from Don Rickles and Gary Shandling, reviews his thesis for his PhD at Yale, reveals why he won't write a memoir, describes how he kept faith in himself as an artist during the early years of his career, tells about an entertaining encounter playing tennis next to John McEnroe, gives some thoughts on musical bands like The Who and The Kinks, examines the power of a quiet mind. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn Jillette - The Air We Breathe (no alcohol, no caffeine)Penn describes what performing magic and writing a novel have in common, talks about Bill Maher and the difference between a cynic and a skeptic, identifies his favorite illustration of America's First Amendment, warns of the peril of technology's capacity to take geography out of tribalism, and discusses the concept behind his new novel, Random. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Joseph Kanon: Louis Latour - white Burgundy wineJoe has seen it all - he was CEO of the most prestigious publishing house in the world prior to becoming a bestselling author of spy novels including The Good German which was made into a movie starring George Clooney and Kate Blanchett. Joe talks about the history and future of the novel and the publishing business, writing for TV and film, and how to write novels of moral intrigue (what do you do when forced to chose between two wrongs?). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dan Abrams: bourbon on the rocksBestselling author, journalist and media entrepreneur Dan Abrams discusses an elevator encounter with Wayne Newton, what Keith Olbermann deserves credit for, Kanye West's play for the social media platform Parler, how writing needs to be crafted differently for network news v. cable news v. print journalism, and the secrets to success in working with a co-author. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Paulina Porizkova: very dirty martini (2 1/2 ounces Hendrick’s gin, dry vermouth, extra olives) Paulina credits Johnny Depp with being a positive example of kindness on the set and teaching her to be less judgmental; pays a compliment to both Naomi Watts and Bill Nye (not Nighy) the Science Guy; discusses narcissism, Instagram, the Kardashians and Olivia Dunn. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

William Finnegan: Bulleit bourbon & club sodaPulitzer Prize winning author Bill Finnegan talks about a day-in-the-life of a writer on staff at The New Yorker and how a piece gets started with editor David Remnick. Bill also discusses his memoir Barbarian Days and names his picks for top male and top female surfers of all time, as well as names some of his favorite surf breaks around the world. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jess Walter: The Robert Burns cocktail (1 ounce Dewar's scotch, 1 ounce sweet vermouth, 1/2 ounce Benedictine, served up and with a lemon twist)It's possible I poured this one a little heavy, but it's my favorite drink so far. Jess talks about the surprise success of his novel Beautiful Ruins, how his agent had nearly negotiated a bonus if it made the bestseller list, though everyone believed making the list was a long shot (it stayed on the bestseller list for a year and a half!). Learn the alternate titles considered for Beautiful Ruins, his writing process, how he evaluates news ideas for novels and short stories, as well as his early work in journalism including working with Christopher Darden to write a book about the OJ Simpson case. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nelson DeMille: Dewar's on the rocksNelson talks about John Travolta on the set of General's Daughter, the importance of getting characters right even if not PC, the value of a mentor, how he has managed the loss of his wife Sandy with the help of friends and family. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lee Child: “good champagne”Lee talks about meeting King Charles III, what it was like to work with Tom Cruise, who he always pictured in the role of Jack Reacher, and which celebrity would make a good love-match for Reacher (hint: you know her well). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jennifer Egan: Gold Rush (2 ounces bourbon, 3/4 ounce lemon, 3/4 ounce honey, lemon twist)Jennifer talks about getting rejected from every writers' workshop she tried because her writing showed "no promise", her Pulitzer prize winning novel Goon Squad, her term as president of PEN America and the organization's mission to promote freedom of expression on college campuses, and her worst-ever author event. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Beginning with our guest’s favorite cocktail, Dedicated offers an insider’s look at the lives and work of your favorite authors. New York Times bestselling author Doug Brunt hosts conversations with the world’s greatest writers as they discuss their writing lifestyle, creative process, latest work, and behind-the-scenes revelations. If you want to hear from the brilliant minds creating our best stories, be sure to tune in. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.