What happens when history repeats itself and the global balance of power shifts overnight? In this episode, host Terry Shepherd sits down with Dr. Ralph DeFalco, the "Renaissance man" and author behind the chilling political thriller, The Counterfeit.

Ralph discusses the historical patterns and current geopolitical trends that inspired his vision of a fractured, post-conflict America. We explore a world where the United States has been economically crippled and politically compromised, forcing its citizens to navigate a new reality of desperation and foreign influence.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The Intersection of History and Fiction: How Ralph uses historical cycles to project a plausible and terrifying future for the United States.
• A Nation Divided: Inside the setting of The Counterfeit, where privilege and desperation live side-by-side under the shadow of a foreign power.
• The "What If" of Geopolitics: Exploring the logical conclusions of current global trend lines.
• Character-Driven Stakes: A look at the intense, personal moments of conflict that drive the narrative—where survival often depends on a split-second decision.
• Writing the "Plausible Future": Ralph’s approach to creating a thriller that feels uncomfortably real to modern readers.

About Our Guest:

Dr. Ralph DeFalco is an author and scholar often described as a "Renaissance man" for his broad expertise and deep understanding of historical patterns. His work focuses on the intersection of political power, national identity, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of systemic collapse.

Featured in this Episode:

• The Counterfeit: The gripping political thriller by Dr. Ralph DeFalco.

Enjoyed the conversation? Be sure to subscribe to the podcast for more deep dives into the writer's craft with Terry Shepherd.

We all inevitably become the brand. And that's why I wrote, "How to Become a Dynamic Podcast Guest and Sell Stuff." It's a sweet and short primer that teaches you about the gear, the appearance and the messaging that can grab and hold today's micro-attention spans and motivate your listeners to take action. It's Just a dollar ninety nine at Amazon. Grab your copy today and sell mo

Justice, Legacy, and "A Death in Arcadia" with Mike Papantonio

What happens when a legal case cracks open a wound a man has kept sealed his entire life? In this episode, award-winning broadcaster Terry Shepherd dives deep with legendary trial lawyer, radio host, and author Mike Papantonio to discuss his latest legal thriller, A Death in Arcadia.

From the brutal reality of Florida’s youth detention centers to the high-stakes world of corporate litigation, Papantonio shares the real-life inspirations behind his fiction. He reveals how a 100-year history of abuse at a North Florida facility and a candid conversation with Paris Hilton led him to write this powerful story.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The Personal Connection: Why Papantonio chose his former "cow town" hometown of Arcadia, Florida, as the backdrop for this gripping narrative.
• Art Imitating Life: The dynamic between the book's protagonist, Deak, and his daughter Kara—inspired by Papantonio's real-life daughter and law partner, Sarah.
• The Fight Against Bullies: Why Papantonio has spent his career "kicking over rotted logs" to take on corporate psychopaths and pharmaceutical giants.
• A Broadcasting Legacy: Reflections on the early days of the Air America Radio network alongside figures like Al Franken, Rachel Maddow, and Bobby Kennedy.
• The Future of the Craft: Why Papantonio isn't worried about AI replacing creative writers and his advice for aspiring authors who have a story to tell.

About Mike Papantonio

Mike Papantonio is a senior partner with one of the country’s most formidable law firms and a nationally syndicated radio host. A voice for victims of corporate negligence, he has spent his career at the intersection of law, power, and human consequence.

Connect with the Author:

• Website: mikepapantonioauthor.com
• Latest Book: A Death in Arcadia—available wherever books are sold.

We all inevitably become the brand. And that's why I wrote, "How to Become a Dynamic Podcast Guest and Sell Stuff." It's a sweet and short primer that teaches you about the gear, the appearance and the messaging that can grab and hold today's micro-attention spans and motivate your listeners to take action. It's Just a dollar ninety nine at Amazon. Grab your copy today and sell mo

In this episode, host Terry Shepherd dives into the "uneasy space" of literary horror with poet and dancer Kirsten Kashock. They discuss her unsettling new novel, An Impossibility of Crows, a story that examines the haunting boundaries of devotion, inheritance, and control.

The Horse-Sized Crow

Kirsten reveals that the book originated from a single, startling dream of a crow the size of a horse. While the image was jarring, she felt curiosity rather than fear, leading her to create a female "mad scientist" protagonist—a rarity in a genre typically dominated by male figures like Frankenstein.

Logic, Longing, and Motherhood

The conversation explores the character of Agnes, a scientist who begins the novel having lost her parents, her job, and her child. Kirsten explains how Agnes’s scientific mind attempts to "solve" her daughter Mina’s birth defect through a breeding program, inadvertently crossing the line between care and control.

Key Discussion Points:

• Generational Inheritance: How Agnes is shaped by her mother’s poetic journals and her father’s history in the Vietnam War.
• The Isolation of the Pandemic: How writing during the global lockdown informed the book's themes of solitude and scientific obsession.
• The Voice of Science: Kirsten describes the effort of developing Agnes’s scientific tone and the use of a journal format to sustain tension.
• The Art of Revision: Why Kirsten views the first draft as "vomiting the clay" and revision as the essential "sculpting" of a story.

For readers who seek the "pleasurable dread" of the dark and the unsettling, this interview offers a deep dive into the craft of a writer who isn't afraid to get "close to the bone".

Connect with Kirsten Kashock:

• Website: kirstenkashock.com
• Latest Book: An Impossibility of Crows

We all inevitably become the brand. And that's why I wrote, "How to Become a Dynamic Podcast Guest and Sell Stuff." It's a sweet and short primer that teaches you about the gear, the appearance and the messaging that can grab and hold today's micro-attention spans and motivate your listeners to take action. It's Just a dollar ninety nine at Amazon. Grab your copy today and sell mo