Writer's Bone

Author Sebastian Barry ( Days Without End , The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty ) returns to the show to discuss his latest novel The Newer World , which is out today from Viking. To learn more about Sebastian Barry, revisit his first appearance on our show . This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and the Is It Streaming podcast.

This episode originally aired on the As Told To podcast on Sept. 8, 2026. John Feal is a native New Yorker and Army veteran who worked as a demolition supervisor at Ground Zero until an 8,000-pound beam crushed his left foot during the clean-up. As he struggled with his own post-9/11 trauma, and scrambled to get out from under his also-disabling medical bills, he watched his fellow responders suffer and die from cancer and other ailments caused by the dust in the air they were told was safe to breathe. Forgotten by a broken healthcare system and lawmakers who had promised to #NeverForget, and inspired by the men and women who continued to suffer in the fallout from that fateful day, he resolved to fight. In I Will Follow You Anywhere: The True Story of the 9/11 Responders Who Took on Congress , he shares his remarkable story of grit and resolve, alongside the accounts of his fellow responders, presenting their shared "recipe" for getting things done—including the passage of the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund. Working with ghostwriter, developmental editor, and book coach Charles Daly, himself a maritime first responder on the Atlantic coast of Ireland, John offers a rogue approach to the ground game of representative government, empowering readers in all walks of life to take on the system and win. Join us as John and Charlie commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks , and discuss how they worked together on their compelling new book—"A graphic but powerful reminder of the horrors of that day," according to Booklist , "and the horrors that first responders have faced ever since." Learn more about our guests: John Feal Instagram John Feal Threads John Feal Facebook Charles Daly website Charles Daly LinkedIn Charles Daly Instagram Please support the sponsors who support our show: Ritani Jewelers Daniel Paisner's Balloon Dog Daniel Paisner's SHOW: The Making and Unmaking of a Network Television Pilot Heaven Help Us by John Kasich Unforgiving: Lessons from the Fall by Lindsey Jacobellis Film Movement Plus (PODCAST) | 30% discount Libro.fm (ASTOLDTO) | 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 when you start your membership The Darling Killers Podcast Film Freaks Forever! podcast, hosted by Mark Jordan Legan and Phoef Sutton Everyday Shakespeare podcast A Mighty Blaze podcast The Writer's Bone Podcast Network Misfits Market (WRITERSBONE) | $15 off your first order Film Movement Plus (PODCAST) | 30% discount Wizard Pins (WRITERSBONE) | 20% discount

Author Courtney Maum ( The Year of the Horses , Before and After the Book Deal ) joins Daniel Ford on the show to chat about her most recent novel Alan Opts Out . To learn more about Courtney Maum, visit her official website . This episode is sponsored by The Darling Killers Podcast and Libro.fm .

Nick Harmer, founding member and bassist for Death Cab for Cutie , joins Daniel Ford to discuss the indie rock band's latest album " I Built You a Tower ." To learn more about Death Cab for Cutie, visit their official website and check out their "Tiny Desk Concert" on NPR . Photo credit: Shervin Lainez This episode is sponsored by The Darling Killers Podcast and Libro.fm .

Host Caitlin Malcuit discusses a joint United Nations – Red Cross call for rules on lethal autonomous weapons, President Barack Obama's " lethal presidency ," and ICE spending major dollars on Boston Dynamics robot dogs . Then, former Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall chats with Daniel Ford about his book Lethal Autonomy . This episode is sponsored by The Darling Killers Podcast and Libro.fm .

*in our best Batman voice* Author Daniel Dockery answers our signal and chats with Daniel Ford about I Am the Night: The Ultimate Unauthorized History of Batman: The Animated Series . *lightning strikes* To learn more about Daniel Dockery, visit his official website . This episode is sponsored by The Darling Killers Podcast and Libro.fm .

Author Jamie Fisher joins Daniel Ford on the show to discuss her debut book Nobody Broke Your Heart: An Intimate Biography of Elliott Smith . To learn more about Jamie Fisher, visit her official website . This episode is sponsored by Simply Dag: The Private Man in a Public—and Dangerous—Office , a book by Sara Causey and Libro.fm .

Host Caitlin Malcuit laments heavy metal in our toothpast e, a cottage cheese shortage , and whatever the fuck is going on with our blueberries . (The reason for all of this might be that private equity funds are evil.) Then, writer and activist Ann Larson chats with Daniel Ford about her book Cleanup on Aisle Five: Essential Work, Poverty Wages and the View from Behind the Supermarket Registe r . To learn more about Ann Larson, visit her official website . This episode is sponsored by Simply Dag: The Private Man in a Public—and Dangerous—Office , a book by Sara Causey and Libro.fm .

Author Joan F. Smith joins Daniel Ford on the show to chat about her novel Your Soulmail Is Attached . To learn more about Joan F. Smith, visit her official website . Also subscribe to The Darling Killers Podcast . This episode is sponsored by Simply Dag: The Private Man in a Public—and Dangerous—Office , a book by Sara Causey and Libro.fm .

Author Eric Scot Tryon joins Daniel Ford on the show to chat about his debut novel I'm the Undertow . To learn more about Eric Scot Tryon, visit his official website . This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and the Is It Streaming podcast.

Host Caitlin Malcuit talks about Harry Belafonte's activism and how it differs from the MO of today's pop stars and celebrities. She also highly recommends checking out Harry Belafonte's appearance on " The Muppet Show ." Geographer and writer Joshua Jelly-Schapiro then joins Daniel Ford to chat his book Daylight Come: Harry Belafonte and the World He Made . To learn more about Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, visit his official website . This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and the Is It Streaming podcast.

Author and sportswriter Dave Zirin sits down with Daniel Ford to discuss his book The People's Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn . To learn more about Dave Zirin, visit his official website . This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and the Is It Streaming podcast.

Author Lori Gold returns to the show and chats with Daniel Ford about her latest novel Kiss, Marry, Kill . To learn more about Lori Gold, visit her official website . Also listen to the author's first appearance on the show (as Lori Goldstein) in Episode 375 . This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and the Is It Streaming podcast.

Host Caitlin Malcuit discusses the fires still burning in northern Ontario ; sewage main breaks in Haverhill, Mass., dumping "8 million gallons of wastewater per day" into Merrimack River; and data centers being...the literal worst . Then, author and journalist Matthew Wolfe joins Daniel Ford to chat about his book Fires in the Night: The Earth Liberation Front, the FBI, and a Secret History of Eco-Sabotage . To learn more about Matthew Wolfe, visit his official website . This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and the Is It Streaming podcast.

Author David Heska Wanbli Weiden ( Winter Counts ) returns to the show and chats with Daniel Ford about his latest novel Wisdom Corner . To learn more about David Heska Wanbli Weiden, visit his official website and listen to our Friday Morning Coffee conversation with the author. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and the Is It Streaming podcast.

Author Julie Buntin ( Marlena ) returns to the show and chats with Daniel Ford about her latest novel Famous Men . To learn more about Julie Buntin, visit her official website and listen to our Friday Morning Coffee interview with the author . This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and the Is It Streaming podcast.

Host Caitlin Malcuit discusses a UN Women's report about how war impacts women and girls. "Bombs do not discriminate between men and women, but the consequences of war do," the report reads. Then, author, journalist, and professor Helen Benedict chats with Daniel Ford about her book The Soldier's House . To learn more about Helen Benedict, visit her official website . This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and the Is It Streaming podcast.

Author and journalist Tim Brown joins Daniel Ford on the show to discuss his book Nolan: The Singular Life of an American Original . To learn more about Tim Brown, visit his official website . This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and the Is It Streaming podcast.

Author Jenny Jackson returns and chats with Daniel Ford about her latest novel The Shampoo Effect . To learn more about Jenny Jackson, visit her official website . Also listen to our first interview with the author in Episode 572 . This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and the Is It Streaming podcast.

Welcome to Author-poolza 2026! We're joined by a trio of authors who felt like a complete set, so we decided to include them all in one episode. Best-selling author Louise Fein chats about her novel Book of Forbidden Words (2:44). We're then joined by Kara McDowell , author of her adult fiction debut The Write Off (25:24). Our third and final guest is Edith Forbes , author of The Lawnmower Lady (46:44). This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and the Is It Streaming podcast.