Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podcast.

With host Lisa Towles, this episode explores the life and work of Maxine Rose Schur, who has moved from professional actress to award-winning travel writer to acclaimed author of children's, middle grade, and young adult fiction. Together they discuss travel, storytelling, creativity, and the experiences that shape a writer's life. Essential listening for readers, writers, travelers, and anyone drawn to stories about the world and the human spirit.

Maxine shares stories from her recent travels in France, reflects on decades of global adventures, and discusses the creative process behind transforming real-life experiences into compelling stories. She also looks back on her acting career in New Zealand, her unexpected path to becoming a published author, and the inspiration behind beloved books such as The Circle Maker, The Word Dancer, Star Brother, When I Left My Village, and Gullible Gus.

In this in-depth conversation, Lisa Towles and Maxine Rose Schur discuss:

• How travel experiences become meaningful stories
• Maxine's journey from actress to award-winning author
• The inspiration behind The Circle Maker, The Word Dancer, and Star Brother
• Writing for children and why great stories matter
• Advice for aspiring authors and travel writers

This episode is ideal for readers, writers, travelers, and anyone who enjoys thoughtful conversations about creativity, reinvention, and the power of authentic storytelling.

Watch the full YouTube video interview: https://youtu.be/ITn-buv-lBI?si=6UbKHxcSDVw_Xi3A

Learn more about Maxine Rose Schur: maxineroseschur.com

Story Impact is hosted by Lisa Towles—award-winning crime novelist and founder of Story Impact Consulting. This literary podcast features visionary authors exploring books, creativity, storytelling, and the deeper purpose behind the stories that shape our lives.

Learn more about the Story Impact podcast and platform: storyimpactconsulting.com/podcast

Follow Story Impact on Podbean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio to stay connected to conversations exploring books, meaning, purpose, and the ideas that shape our lives. Subscribe on YouTube for full-length video interviews with today's most compelling authors.

Thank you for listening!

Stories hold the world together.

Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podccast.

With host, Lisa Towles, this episode examines the intersection of journalism and fiction through Neal Lipschutz's decades at the highest levels of American media and his Scott Morgan mystery series. Together they discuss verification, ethics, moral ambiguity, and why the instincts that drive great journalism also drive a great mystery novel. Essential listening for readers, writers, journalism buffs, and anyone fascinated by what people conceal and why.

Lipschutz spent decades at the highest levels of American media, serving as Deputy Editor-in-Chief of The Wall Street Journal, the paper's standards editor, and top editor of Dow Jones Newswires. In his fiction debut series, he brings that same instinct for evidence and accuracy to bear on Scott Morgan, a self-made New York management consultant whose carefully built life keeps colliding with the past he's tried to leave behind.

In this in-depth conversation, Lisa Towles and Neal Lipschutz discuss:

• Neal's decades-long journalism career and what it's really like inside the room where high-stakes editorial decisions get made.
• How the instincts of fact-checking and verification shape the construction of a mystery plot.
• The origin story behind Scott Morgan and No Write Way to Die.
• Why readers are drawn to morally ambiguous characters — and what "superpower" carries Scott Morgan through crisis.
• New York City as a character in its own right: the psychic distance between Brooklyn roots and Scarsdale success.
• A first look at the upcoming Long Arm of the Past.

This episode is ideal for mystery readers, journalists, writers, and anyone who enjoys thoughtful conversations about truth, ethics, ambition, and the secrets we carry.

Watch the full YouTube video interview: https://youtu.be/WUhh97g3TMc?si=U4Sgr5n40Uoa4yYs

Learn more about Neal Lipschutz: https://neallipschutz.com/

Story Impact is hosted by Lisa Towles—award-winning crime novelist and founder of Story Impact Consulting. This literary podcast features visionary authors exploring books, creativity, storytelling, and the deeper purpose behind the stories that shape our lives.

Learn more about the Story Impact platform: https://storyimpactconsulting.com

Follow Story Impact on Podbean, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts to stay connected to conversations exploring books, meaning, purpose, and the ideas that shape our lives. Subscribe on YouTube for full-length video interviews with today's most compelling authors.

Stories hold the world together.

Dogs, Stories, and Connections | Meet Patricia McConnell

With host, Lisa Towles, this episode examines the intersection of science and storytelling through Patricia McConnell's internationally bestselling nonfiction and her acclaimed fiction debut, Away to Me. Together they discuss observation, empathy, healing, and why understanding behavior—whether human or canine—can transform the way we see the world. Essential listening for readers, writers, dog lovers, and anyone fascinated by the deeper connections between people, animals, and the natural world.

McConnell is one of the world's foremost authorities on animal behavior. Her internationally bestselling books—including The Other End of the Leash, For the Love of a Dog, and The Education of Will—have helped more than 1.2 million readers build stronger relationships with their dogs. In her debut novel, Away to Me, she brings that same rare perspective to fiction, creating a compelling mystery set against the rich backdrop of rural Wisconsin and the fascinating world of sheepdogs.

In this in-depth conversation, Lisa Towles and Patricia McConnell discuss:

• Patricia's lifelong journey into the study of canine behavior and the pivotal decision that changed her career. • Why The Other End of the Leash continues to resonate with readers around the world. • The inspiration behind her fiction debut, Away to Me, and discovering a passion for novel writing later in life. • Sheepdogs, sheepdog trials, and creating an authentic rural mystery rooted in the natural world. • What fear, trauma, healing, and trust reveal about both animals and ourselves.

This episode is ideal for dog lovers, mystery readers, writers, animal behavior enthusiasts, and anyone who enjoys thoughtful conversations about observation, compassion, resilience, and the enduring bond between humans and animals.

Watch the full YouTube video interview: https://youtu.be/GSy8fZmVz6w?si=FPdcBNKWuA7aZGt1

Learn more about Patricia McConnell: https://patriciamcconnell.com

Story Impact is hosted by Lisa Towles—award-winning crime novelist and founder of Story Impact Consulting. This literary podcast features visionary authors exploring books, creativity, storytelling, and the deeper purpose behind the stories that shape our lives.

Learn more about the Story Impact platform: https://storyimpactconsulting.com

Follow Story Impact on Podbean, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts to stay connected to conversations exploring books, meaning, purpose, and the ideas that shape our lives. Subscribe on YouTube for full-length video interviews with today's most compelling authors.

Stories hold the world together.