The Thoughtful Bro

Mark Cecil
  • 4.8 (21)
  • BOOKS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Thoughtful Bro, hosted by Mark Cecil, is a podcast for writers, readers, and anyone interested in a tale well told. Each episode features an author who's recently published a book, and we unpack how and why they wrote it. It's "Inside the Actors Studio"...but for storytellers.

  1. 12/13/2025

    Episode 79: Ottessa Moshfegh

    My galvanizing 1:1 with one of the coolest writers out there, Ottessa Moshfegh. We discussed: (1) what happens when an artist is open about their world-sized ambitions; (2) the connection between the artist and the "god" (for lack of a better word) of creativity; and (3) how to create the kind of art that Mick Jagger himself recommends: the kind that "achieves madness." Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

    1 hr

  2. 11/30/2025

    Episode 78: Julian Brave NoiseCat

    My talk with Oscar-nominated director ("Sugarcane") and first time author Julian Brave NoiseCat, on his new memoir/"coyote story" We Survived The Night. We discussed (1) a father son saga so improbable, it almost requires a higher power to explain it, (2) the haunting legacy of indigenous genocide at mission schools, and (3) the healing power of myth...in particular, how the oral tradition of the trickster coyote can bring reconciliation and understanding to the world. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

    1h 9m

  3. 11/21/2025

    Episode 77: Elaine Castillo

    My electrifying interview with Elaine Castillo, author of Moderation, which the New Yorker called "one of the best books of the year." We discussed (1) the psychological hellscape of the content moderator, one of the worst jobs on earth; (2) the redemptive power of VR therapeutics, and (3) how the most interesting kinds of characters are often those who are certain they are right, but are absolutely wrong. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

    1h 6m

  4. 11/14/2025

    Episode 76: Jon Hickey

    My chat with Jon Hickey, author of the timely debut novel Big Chief, a study of big egos, bad blood, and mudslinging reservation politics. We discussed: (1) the power of belonging, and how it drives power stuggles; (2) the sorrow of losing touch with your culture, and (3) the patient work of trying to make characters come alive on the page. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

    47 min

  5. 10/24/2025

    Episode 75: Jennifer Armentrout

    My interview with one of the queens of Romantasy, Jennifer L. Armentrout, discussing her latest in the bestselling Blood And Ash series. We discussed (1) The psychological underpinnings of popular tropes (The Chosen One, Enemies To Lovers); (2) What she'd fix about publishing (hire editors outside of New York!); and (3) How, exactly, to publish 70 books in under 15 years (Answer: work 12 hour days, seven days a week, and never feel like you've actually made it.) Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

    1h 12m

  6. 10/17/2025

    Episode 74: Stephen Greenblatt

    My *utterly electric* convo with one of the great non-fiction writers and scholars of our time, Stephen Greenblatt. Stephen is the Pulitzer Prize winning/bestselling author of some of my favorite books EVER about literary history (including The Swerve), and he's out now with Dark Renaissance, about the troubled, complex genius of Shakespeare's top rival, Chris Marlowe. We discussed (1) how Marlowe, the same age as the Bard, was a far more important writer than Shakespeare when he was stabbed to death at 29; (2) how Elizabethan London was a North Korea-like tinderbox of political repression and censorship; and (3) how Greenblatt's entire career has been guided by a profound desire to communicate with the great spirits long deceased. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

    1h 10m

  7. 10/03/2025

    Episode 73: Jon Raymond

    My chat with God And Sex author Jon Raymond, a book that The New York Times assures "lives up to its epic title." We covered: (1) writing a story that unites the worldviews of his Buddhist father and Jewish mother; (2) drawing inspiration from Graham Greene's classic The End Of The Affair, and (3) how curing writer despair is often a matter of just re-investing yourself in the writer community. The karma is real. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

    1h 3m

  8. 09/26/2025

    Episode 72: Daniel Kraus

    My interview with bestselling Whalefall author Daniel Kraus, chatting about his new World War I novel (written entirely in one sentence!), Angel Down. We covered: (1) the Whalefall film adaptation, starring fellow actor (and writer), Josh Brolin; (2) His previous collabs with horror/fantasy legend Guillermo del Toro; and (3) why he never, ever, ever imitates himself, and how tackling new genres and styles is what gives spark to his work. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and Writer's Bone.

    1h 4m
See All (80)

4.8
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

The Thoughtful Bro, hosted by Mark Cecil, is a podcast for writers, readers, and anyone interested in a tale well told. Each episode features an author who's recently published a book, and we unpack how and why they wrote it. It's "Inside the Actors Studio"...but for storytellers.

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Cecil
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    80
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2022
  • Show Website
    The Thoughtful Bro

You Might Also Like