David L. Riley always wanted to write a book. Growing up in Pennsylvania, he loved creating stories, but it would be years before he could devote himself to writing. In this episode of Author Conversations with me, Chris Dabbs, David talks about his...

A young Air Force officer sits underground in Kansas, responsible for a Titan II nuclear missile. Decades later, he's writing books about Christianity, faith and personal transformation. How did those very different chapters become part of the same life? Don Youts has been an Air Force missile commander, an academic, a teacher of cross-cultural communication, a community organiser, a church planter and a minister. Now in his 80s, he's an author - despite admitting he doesn't particularly enjoy ...

Charles A. Stewart spent 26 years in the US military, including combat deployments and work with Special Operations. Now he's drawing on those experiences to write military thrillers, and some of the events and characters in his novels are based on real people and missions. In this episode of **Author Conversations with me, Chris Dabbs**, Charles talks about his military career, the injuries and PTSD he experienced, and how encouragement from his family led him to begin writing. He tells me ho...

What do the ancient petroglyphs of Utah mean - and how much can we really know about the people who made them? In this edition of Author Conversations, I talk to Clay Brough, author of Tales of the Futures Past, about his interest in rock art, the questions raised by the Rochester Creek panel and the ideas that have shaped his research and writing. We discuss the Uintah Basin, possible connections between the markings and the surrounding landscape, and why interpreting images made so long ago ...

My guest Dr Mark Burtman has had quite an extraordinary life. He's been a Navy medical officer, an obstetrician and gynaecologist, a musician and a poker player. He's also spent time in prison, lost his medical career and survived a stroke. And now he's doing something he's wanted to do since college - writing books. Mark describes himself as a "walking tragic comedy", and he certainly hasn't lost his sense of humour. We talk about what happened to his medical career, his experiences in priso...

Gunther Allen has lived through some extraordinary changes in LGBTQ+ history. He remembers a time when being openly gay could have serious consequences, when HIV/AIDS devastated communities and when life was very different for gay men growing up in the 1970s and 1980s.\n\nI really enjoyed talking to Gunther. He's done all sorts of things throughout his life, from music and competitive sport to coaching, design and supporting people affected by HIV/AIDS. And now he's writing books inspired by som...

At 91, Dessie Williams reflects on the extraordinary changes she's witnessed, sharing memories of family, faith, racism and the people whose stories inspired her book, His Wonders to Perform.

Martin Terrell has been through a lot. Poverty, racial segregation, drugs, prison and some incredibly difficult experiences along the way. But even after everything he's been through, he still considers himself a fortunate man. And I think that's quite something. When I spoke with Martin, we went right back to his childhood growing up in the ghetto in America, losing his mother at a young age and finding himself in circumstances where the opportunities available to him were pretty limited. Th...

Jeff Arnold joins Chris Dabbs to talk about leadership in the age of AI, where technology genuinely improves a business and where human judgement still matters more. They discuss trust, empathy, failure, customer experience and why some decisions should never be handed over to a machine.

Are you truly thriving — or simply getting through each day? Siddharth Bhaskar, author of The Office in Your Mind, joins Chris Dabbs to explore how we can change our response to stress, strengthen our relationships and find a greater sense of...

Steven Trio qualified as a solicitor, lasted just six months and walked away to pursue the musical career he'd always wanted. What followed was a creative journey through jazz, songwriting and comedy writing - and now his stories are heading towards the big screen. In this entertaining conversation with broadcast journalist Chris Dabbs, Steven talks about defying his father's expectations, finding musical success, discovering a gift for absurdist humour and his plans to adapt his writing for film..

Author, artist and therapist Maree Deeley joins Chris Dabbs to discuss The Harvest Always Comes, a novel exploring love, relationships, temptation and second chances. Maree reveals the personal story behind the book's title, how decades spent exploring the human mind influence her fiction and why her next novel, Eyes of Innocence, will take her writing in a very different direction.

Korean War veteran Joel A. Robinson published his debut novel at the remarkable age of 92. In this episode of Author Conversations, Joel discusses the real-life treasure story that inspired Treasure's Location, the historical research behind the novel, and why it's never too late to pursue a lifelong dream. A thoughtful conversation about writing, perseverance and the power of storytelling.

Canadian military veteran, firefighter, ultra-endurance athlete and author JD Tremblay joins Chris Dabbs to explore discipline, faith and resilience. From completing ten Ironman-distance triathlons in ten consecutive days to overcoming childhood adversity, JD shares the mindset behind living a life with purpose and becoming truly "hungry for more."

Keith Daniel Saunders Sr. reflects on a lifetime in education, growing up between different worlds and the experiences that inspired his memoir, Roosevelt to the Hamptons: The War on Both Sides. This thoughtful conversation explores identity, leadership, empathy and why understanding another person's perspective is more important than ever.

What if finding love starts with finding yourself? In this episode of Author Conversations, Chris Dabbs speaks with debut novelist Becky Larson Bloom about writing her first novel later in life, the inspiration behind New Beginnings and why self-discovery matters just as much as romance. Becky reflects on finally becoming a published author in her late sixties, fulfilling a lifelong ambition and proving that it's never too late to begin a new chapter. Whether you're an aspiring writer, a reader of contemporary fiction or simply looking for encouragement to pursue your own dreams, this conversation is a reminder that some of life's greatest adventures begin long after we think they should.

Doctors gave Donna Valentino just a 40% chance of survival. What followed was years of rehabilitation, relearning basic life skills and rebuilding an entirely new life. In this powerful episode of Author Conversations, Donna shares the extraordinary story behind her books Headstrong and Heartstrong, beginning with the catastrophic ATV accident that left her with a severe traumatic brain injury and continuing through one of the most remarkable recovery journeys you'll hear. Doctors gave Donna ...

“My parents held a very good persona. I continued to try to impress upon the authorities that what they saw on the outside was not what was going on on the inside. Nobody bought it. Nobody believed it.” Christa Jan Ryan What happens when a child tells adults that home is unsafe—and nobody believes her? Christa Jan Ryan describes growing up in a respected family while trying unsuccessfully to convince adults that she and her siblings were not safe at home. She explores the childhood trauma behi...

Is it ever too late to pursue the dream you kept putting off? Ray Denyer became an author in his sixties — and his message is simple: never give up. After decades of making up stories for his family, encouragement from his 14 grandchildren finally persuaded Ray to start writing them down. The result was Algernon Breadstick: The Hapless Knight, a warm, funny fantasy adventure about an unlikely hero who fails, gets lost, makes mistakes — and keeps going. In this episode of Author Conversations,...

"Sometimes the most powerful memoir isn't written in chapters—it's written one poem at a time." What if the most difficult chapters of your life became your greatest source of strength? In this moving episode of Author Conversations, Chris Dabbs...

“My main goal is for children just to be their best person… loving their animals, loving their families. It’s very important to me that children are happy and loved.” Joanne Stubenburg What can one rescued little dachshund teach children about kindness, bullying, compassion and responsibility? In this heartwarming episode of Author Conversations, Chris Dabbs is joined by children’s author and illustrator Joanne Stubenburg, creator of The Crooked Dog series. Inspired by her real-life rescue da...