The Fresh Fiction Podcast

Film & TV Ep. 7 | 'IF', 'Babes', 'The Strangers: Chapter 1' & 'The Big Cigar' (feat. cast and showrunners)

Fresh Fiction's Preston Barta, James Cole Clay and Courtney Howard discuss the latest in entertainment, including what's happening at the cinema and on television.

This week's episode features talks about:

FILM

• IF
• BABES
• THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1
• BACK IN BLACK
• FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA
• ORPHAN (Scream Factory Blu-ray release)
• Various film screenings on 35mm

TV

• THE BIG CIGAR (Limited Series on Apple TV+)

INTERVIEWS

• THE BIG CIGAR showrunners Janine Sherman Barrois & Jim Hecht and stars Alessandro Nivola, P.J. Byrne & Tiffany Boone

Meet Susan C. Shea | Author of 'Murder and the Missing Dog'

We're chatting with Susan C. Shea, author of MURDER AND THE MISSING DOG. Join us for a lively conversation about her work!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Susan C. Shea loves fine art, interesting food, all things France, the beauty of the San Francisco Bay Area she lives in, and her two orange tabby cats. She writes three mystery series that arise out of her likes: a French village mystery series that debuted in May 2017; the Château in Burgundy series that launched in 2023; and the Dani O'Rourke mysteries set in San Francisco. All of her series have collected high praise from reviewers. She's a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. She blogs with 7Criminal Minds and speaks frequently at book events. 

Film & TV Ep. 6 | 'The Last Stop in Yuma County' (feat. director Francis Galluppi), 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' and 'The Dry' Films

Fresh Fiction's Preston Barta and James Cole Clay are here to bring you the latest updates on what's happening in the world of cinema and television. So, sit back, relax, and tune in!

This week's happenings include:

A discussion on the state of the film/theater industry.

FILM

• THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY
• KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
• I SAW THE TV GLOW
• THE DRY 
• FORCE OF NATURE
• EVIL DOES NOT EXIST
• POOLMAN

INTERVIEWS

• THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY director Francis Galluppi

Let's Chat about "Bad Reputations" with Xio Axelrod

We're chatting with Xio Axelrod, author of GIRLS WITH BAD REPUTATIONS. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Xio Axelrod is a USA Today bestselling author of award-winning contemporary romance, romantic fiction, and what she likes to call strange, twisted tales.

Xio grew up in the music industry and began recording at a young age. When she isn't writing stories, she can be found in the studio, writing songs, or performing on international stages (under a different, not-so-secret name).

She lives in Philadelphia with one full-time husband and several part-time cats.

Meet Joanna Davidson Politano | Author of 'The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple'

We're chatting with Joanna Davidson Politano, author of THE ELUSIVE TRUTH OF LILY TEMPLE. Join us for a lively conversation about her work!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her manuscript for Lady Jayne Disappears was a finalist for several contests, including the 2016 Genesis Award from ACFW, and won the OCW Cascade Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is always on the hunt for random acts of kindness, people willing to share their deepest secrets with a stranger, and hidden stashes of sweets. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan.

Meet Lisa Gardner | Author of 'Still See You Everywhere'

We're chatting with Lisa Gardner, author of STILL SEE YOU EVERYWHERE. Join us for a lively conversation about her work!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Gardner, a No. 1 New York Times bestselling thriller novelist, began her career in food service, but after catching her hair on fire numerous times, she took the hint and focused on writing instead. A self-described research junkie, she has transformed her interest in police procedure and criminal minds into a streak of internationally acclaimed novels, published across 30 countries. 

Lisa’s books have received awards from across the globe. Her novel, THE NEIGHBOR, won Best Hardcover Novel from the International Thriller Writers, while also receiving the Grand Prix des Lectrices de Elle in France. She was also recognized with the Daphne du Maurier Award in 2000 for THE OTHER DAUGHTER. Finally, Lisa received the Silver Bullet Award from the International Thriller Writers in 2017 for her work on behalf of at-risk children and the Humane Society.

Film & TV Ep. 5 | 'The Fall Guy,' 'The Idea of You' (feat. director Michael Showalter) and 'The Big Door Prize' (feat. show runner David West Read and stars Chris O'Dowd & Josh Segarra)

Fresh Fiction's Preston Barta and James Cole Clay are here to bring you the latest updates on what's happening in the world of cinema and television. So, sit back, relax, and tune in!

This week's happenings include:

FILM

• THE FALL GUY
• THE IDEA OF YOU
• STAR WARS EP. 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE
• WILDCAT
• JEANNE DU BARRY
• CIVIL WAR
• HARDWARE WARS (MVD Rewind Collection)

TV

• THE BIG DOOR PRIZE (Season 2) revisited

INTERVIEWS

• THE IDEA OF YOU director Michael Showalter
• THE BIG DOOR PRIZE showrunner David West Read and stars Chris O'Dowd & Josh Segarra

Meet Jennifer Deibel | Author of 'The Irish Matchmaker'

We're chatting with Jennifer Deibel, author of THE IRISH MATCHMAKER. Join us for a lively conversation about romance and mystery!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Deibel is the bestselling and award-winning author of A Dance in Donegal, The Lady of Galway Manor and The Maid of Ballymacool. Her work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic magazine, and others. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona with her husband and their three children.

Film & TV Ep. 4 | Taylor Swift, ‘Challengers’ and ‘Humane’ (feat. director Caitlin Cronenberg)

Fresh Fiction's Preston Barta and James Cole Clay are here to bring you the latest updates on what's happening in the world of cinema and television. In addition, they engage in a healthy debate on Taylor Swift's new album, "The Tortured Poets Department," and conduct an interview with filmmaker Caitlin Cronenberg. So, sit back, relax, and tune in!

This week's happenings include:

FILM

• CHALLENGERS
• HUMANE
• BOY KILLS THE WORLD
• THE RING and THE RING TWO
• STEEL MAGNOLIAS
• SASQUATCH SUNSET (Revisited)

TV

• PALM ROYALE (Revisited)
• THE BIG DOOR PRIZE (Season 2)
• PALM ROYALE

INTERVIEWS

• HUMANE director Caitlin Cronenberg

Film & TV Ep. 3 | 'Sasquatch Sunset' (feat. directors David & Nathan Zellner) and 'Earthsounds' (feat. producer Sam Hodgson and scientists Beth Goodwin & Bourhan Yassin)

On episode 3, Fresh Fiction's Preston Barta and James Cole Clay discuss what's happening this week at the cinema and on television. We also have filmmaker and scientists interviews to share. So, pull up and chair and listen in!

This week's happenings include:

FILM

• SASQUATCH SUNSET
• THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE
• ABIGAIL
• REBEL MOON: PART TWO

TV

• EARTHSOUNDS 
• SECRETS OF THE OCTOPUS
• PALM ROYALE

INTERVIEWS

This week's interviews include:

• SASQUATCH SUNSET directors David & Nathan Zellner
• EARTHSOUNDS producer Sam Hodgson, marine biologist Dr. Beth Goodwin & Bourhan Yassin (CEO of Rainforest Connection)