"I think we’re always trying to heal ourselves, whether it’s through fiction or not." In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike Carlon chats with Mary Keliikoa, an award-nominated author whose journey to becoming a published crime novelist took over two decades. From co-writing her first book during lunch breaks as a legal secretary to debuting at…

"Food had controlled me. The grocery store controlled me, restaurants controlled me—and I wanted to break free of that." In this mouth watering episode, Mike Carlon uncorks the story of Jared Gleaton, a nationally certified school psychologist and captivating food critic. Jared takes us on a fascinating journey from his early social media food revi…

"I had no idea how big this was...over 80 percent of people you see in the alley were once you and me—soccer moms, CEOs—pulled into addiction by something that was supposed to help." In this episode of Uncorking a Story, host Mike Carlon sits down with debut novelist Laura Essay, author of Side Effects Are Minimal. Laura shares her journey from bei…

"If you feel you have something worth saying, why not take the effort and pursue it?" — Jude Berman In this episode, host Mike Carlon uncorks the story of Jude Berman, an award-winning author and former editor who made the leap from publishing other people's books to writing her own. Jude reflects on her journey through the changing landscape of pu…

"I think emotional intelligence invites us to slow things down and really take pause in relation to who we are in the world." – Patrick Kilcarr In this episode of Uncorking a Story, host Mike Carlon sits down with Patrick Kilcarr, PhD, the Director of Georgetown University’s Center for Personal Development and an expert in emotional intelligence (E…

“Writing is not just putting your fingers on the keys. Writing is thinking, imagining, and playing games in your head.” — Fiona Barton In this episode of Uncorking a Story, host Mike Carlon sits down with New York Times bestselling author Fiona Barton, known for her psychological thrillers The Widow, The Child, The Suspect, and Local Gone Missing. …

“My desire is to be for others what I needed when I was at my lowest.” – Kristina Kuzmic In this powerful episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike Carlon sits down with renowned author, comedian, and mental health advocate Kristina Kuzmic. Kristina shares her journey from a struggling single mother on food stamps to becoming a viral sensation and best-se…

"As a Secret Service agent, I was a secret writer... I kept my writing hidden for about five years." – Richard Podkowski In this episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with Richard Podkowski, a former U.S. Secret Service agent turned author. Richard takes us on a journey through his career, his novel The Walk On, and his passion for storytelling.…

"Resilience isn't just bouncing back—it's finding new purpose after everything changes." — Jonathan Bogner In this inspiring episode of Uncorking a Story, host Mike Carlon sits down with Jonathan Bogner, a seasoned film and reality TV producer who has faced unimaginable challenges. From experiencing heart failure, two strokes, and aphasia, to recei…

"Perseverance is probably the most important skill or quality to have. Stick with it, and eventually you'll cross some kind of finish line." – Linda Moore In this episode, Linda Moore, a late-blooming fiction writer and art historian, shares her unique journey from political science and journalism to owning an art gallery and finally embracing a ca…

“There's so much literature in cannabis... I'm kind of acting a little bit like a translator for the general public and for the medical community." — Dr. Benjamin Caplan In this episode of "Uncorking a Story," host Mike Carlon sits down with Dr. Benjamin Caplan, a renowned family physician and expert in medical cannabis. Over the past 17 years, Dr.…

"I felt really alienated before, but when I started walking on the streets and all these people started sharing their stories, I slowly started to heal." — Varuni Sinha In this compelling episode of "Uncorking a Story," host Mike Carlon interviews Varuni Sinha, a New York-based writer and multimedia producer, about her transformative journey from a…

"I wasn't interested in writing about my own cancer journey, but I was interested in the idea of what if my situation had been flipped." — Ann Bancroft In this heartfelt episode of "Uncorking a Story," host Michael Carlon sits down with Ann Bancroft, a remarkable two-time breast cancer survivor who has made her literary debut at the age of 71. Banc…

"Writing is like therapy; it reveals the soul and heals the heart." — Holly LaBarbera In this episode of "Uncorking a Story," Holly LaBarbera, an accomplished author and psychotherapist, takes us through her fascinating journey from childhood letter writing with her grandmother to becoming a published novelist. She shares how her career as a therap…

"Writing is like staying in shape; even when things aren't going well, sitting at the desk and writing keeps you ready for the day when the right ideas and words come." - Philip Cioffari Today we dive deep into the world of storytelling with special guest Philip Cioffari. Philip is a novelist, short story writer, playwright, and filmmaker whose jou…

"I like the idea of thinking of it as a gift, although it certainly doesn't feel like it at the time." — Hannah Mary McKinnon In this episode of "Uncorking a Story," host Michael Carlon welcomes back internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon. Known for her gripping suspense novels and heartwarming holiday romantic comedies, Hannah sha…

“When your fears disappear, your dreams appear.” —Gamma, from ”Closet of Dreams.” In this episode, we dive into the enchanting world of childhood imagination and creative collaboration with brother-sister duo, Mark Ukra and Tara Masalaik McMahon. Join us as we explore their journey from a shared childhood closet of dreams to the creation of their h…

"It's okay to not be okay. Writing has been my way to let things out, to release the constriction of emotions, and to heal. I don't hold back in my poetry, and I encourage others to find their own way to express and release their feelings." – Jasmine Gonzalez In this episode of "Uncorking a Story," we welcome Jasmine Gonzalez, a New York City-based…

"Magic finds us in our darkest times." — Christina Bacilieri Christina Bacilieri’s life and career were profoundly shaped by her Italian grandmother and a dream that inspired her to write her first novel, "The Last Refuge." In this episode, Christina shares her journey from a career in marketing to becoming a full-time writer, discussing the challe…

"Marriage can hold more difficulty than you believe and still move forward and evolve into something positive." – Anna Monardo How does an arranged marriage spanning continents and generations reveal the hidden strengths and vulnerabilities of a family, and what can it teach us about our own relationships and identities? Meet Anna Monardo Anna Mona…

"Being chosen doesn't mean being whole; it means navigating a journey to find yourself.” — Adoptee Lisa Ann In this heartfelt episode of "Uncorking a Story," host Mike Carlon welcomes Lisa Ann, the host of the "Wandering Tree Podcast." Lisa Ann shares her deeply personal story as an adoptee, discussing the complexities of identity, family, and the …

"The idea of found family and the hope that you have a pod of people out there who will accept you for who you are is central to my story." — Mary Carol Moore In today’s episode, Author Mary Carol Moore discusses her journey from being a food journalist to an accomplished novelist, inspired by her mother's legacy as a World War II era pilot. She sh…

"Poetry is a gift from the Divine, a voice from ancestors, expressing profound truths and deep emotions." - Lauren Martin In today’s episode of Uncorking a Story we sit down with Lauren Martin, a psychotherapist, poet, and a devoted Ìyânífá. She shares her journey from discovering her poetic voice in sixth grade to compiling her latest collection, …

"We have a lot to learn from them. It's really about the survival of the human spirit." - Dr. Stephanie Covington In this informative episode of Uncorking a Story, we dive into the life and expertise of Stephanie Covington, Ph.D. who shares wisdom gained through her work with incarcerated women and reveals how they support each other in the most ch…

“Be quick to forgive yourself. It's hard to do, but be quick to forgive people around you. We're going to disappoint ourselves, and people are going to disappoint us. Just forgive, get over it. Don’t let a mistake ruin a relationship—it's not worth it. The relationship is so much more.” — Link Forester Join us in this powerful episode of Uncorking …