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author

Jan 07
Love22

Jeff Burningham

By Author, Podcast No Comments

What happens when the machines get smarter and we have to get wiser?

This week on Here’s What We Know, we welcome Jeff Burningham, author of The Last Book Written by a Human. We talk about AI, fear, failure, and the power of being present.

Jeff shares how building companies, losing a run for governor, and slowing way down changed how he sees success and identity. This is a human conversation about wisdom, humility, and staying grounded while everything around us speeds up.

If you are curious about AI but even more curious about what it means to be human, this episode is for you.

This episode is sponsored by:


(Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!)

License #: 679261

In This Episode:

  • Artificial intelligence and its impact on human identity
  • What The Last Book Written by a Human is really about
  • Why wisdom matters more than intelligence in the AI age
  • Fear, uncertainty, and how people are responding to rapid technological change
  • Doing versus being and how success can disconnect us from ourselves
  • Public failure and the lessons learned from losing a gubernatorial race
  • Leadership, ego, and redefining what success actually means
  • Presence, attention, and slowing down in everyday life
  • What makes human connection irreplaceable
  • How to stay grounded as technology continues to advance

Quotations:

“The key to doing ‘quote unquote successfully’ is actually being. It’s bringing your being, as much of it as you possibly can, to all of your doing.” ~ Jeff Burningham

“So my encouragement in the age of AI for all of us as intelligent machines is to continue to do more and more of what we’re used to doing. It is to make sure that we bring our whole being, our whole heart and soul, to every present moment and to all of our doing, whether that’s writing a book or podcasting or being a dad or building a business or doing the laundry. It doesn’t really matter what we’re doing as long as we bring our being into it; if we bring our being, it can be rich and fruitful and meaningful no matter what it is.” ~ Jeff Burningham

“Your existence, mine, and all of ours is a never-ending cycle of life, death, and rebirth.” ~ Jeff Burningham

“The future is a fiction. It never actually happens. It’s made up in our minds until we get there in the present moment.” ~ Jeff Burningham

“Everyone tries to avoid pain, but it is through that pain that we can transform.” ~ Jeff Burningham

Bio:

Jeff has started, run or been an early investor in over 15 companies in tech & real estate valued at over a billion dollars, lost a challenging race for Governor amidst COVID in his home state, is an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship, served on 20+ boards, lived in the Middle East & traveled to over 60 countries while earning two degrees.

He is a Founder and Chairman of Peak Capital Partners, a $5B+ real estate investment firm located in Provo, UT, which was named the 2nd fastest growing company in Utah and one of the 500 fastest privately held companies in the United States by Inc. Magazine. Jeff also launched Peak Ventures, which has three early-stage funds that back the brightest and most inspiring entrepreneurs in Utah and throughout the US. In 2014, Jeff was named The Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Mountain West Region. 

Guest Contact Info:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffburningham/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeff.burningham.252321/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-burningham-15a01a7b/

Dec 17
Love18

John Mason

By Author, Podcast No Comments

This week on Here’s What We Know, we sit down with legendary entertainment attorney John Mason for a conversation filled with heart, humor, and jaw-dropping stories from behind the curtain of the music and film industry.

Growing up in the San Fernando Valley alongside the children of Hollywood icons, he followed an unexpected path that led him from law school to jam sessions with the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, and the musicians who quietly shaped modern music. Along the way, he built a career representing some of the biggest names in entertainment, while never losing sight of the human stories behind the fame.

Drawing from his book Crazy Lucky, John shares intimate moments with Brian Wilson, Olivia Newton-John, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Randy Travis, and more. These are not tabloid stories. They are reflections on genius, vulnerability, perseverance, and the strange way talent and timing collide to shape a life.

This episode is a love letter to creativity, resilience, and the unpredictable paths that lead us exactly where we are meant to be. Tune in now!

This episode is sponsored by:

In This Episode:

  • John Mason’s unexpected path to music
  • The magic and pressure of recording sessions with The Wrecking Crew
  • Brian Wilson’s musical brilliance and personal struggles
  • Olivia Newton-John’s grace, strength, and lasting impact
  • Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones creating history together
  • Randy Travis and the rebirth of country music

Quotations:

“Chemistry is a big part of success.” ~ John Mason

“The best producer in the world can’t have the best result with every artist. The chemistry between the person sitting in the booth and the person sitting at the studio is where the magic sauce goes.”  ~ John Mason

“It’s just fun for me to tell the stories. That’s why I wrote the book anyway. It was never my plan to be an author, but people, you’re saying it for yourself, and I hope that people listening to the show feel the people love the stories, and it’s actually touching these people  at vulnerable times and exciting times.”  ~ John Mason

Bio:

John Mason is one of the most respected entertainment attorneys in the business, with a career spanning decades across film, television, and music. From representing Academy Award winners to working with artists who have sold over 100 million records, John has been a trusted advocate for some of the biggest names in the industry. A UCLA and UC Berkeley Law graduate with the highest honors, his work has earned national recognition and shaped major moments in entertainment law. Beyond the courtroom, John is deeply committed to the arts, philanthropy, and mentoring the next generation of creators.

Guest Contact Info:

Website: https://www.johnmasonlaw.com/

Nov 19
Love18

Samuel Marquis

By Author, Podcast No Comments

This week on Here’s What We Know, step into the world of pirates and hidden histories with bestselling author Samuel Marquis. In this conversation, we dig into the life of Captain William Kidd and explore where fact meets myth. Samuel shares how his family’s connection to Kidd opened the door to a deeper look at piracy, courage, politics, and the stories that shape our understanding of early America.

We talk about the rise of pirate legends, the real struggles sailors faced on the open seas, and the untold strength of Kidd’s wife, Sarah Bradley Cox Kidd. Samuel also gives us a look into his writing process and how he works to honor history while still telling a powerful story.

If you love rich conversations about identity, resilience, and the truth hidden behind old legends, this episode will pull you right in.

This episode is sponsored by:

In This Episode:

  • Samuel Marquis and his unique connection to Captain Kidd
  • How real pirate life compares to the stories we tell
  • The political tides that changed Captain Kidd’s fate
  • The overlooked resilience of Sarah Bradley Cox Kidd
  • What early piracy reveals about the birth of American identity
  • Why these stories still capture our imagination today

Quotations:

“When I wrote Blackbeard first, I learned a lot about Captain Kidd in the process and the Golden Age of Piracy. And then later I said, God, I’d better do a nonfiction book on Captain Kidd because I really want to tell as good a story as anybody that’s ever done it.”  ~ Samuel Marquis

“Captain Kidd is 100% a history book with 94 pages of endnotes and bibliography. It is not a historical fiction book. But it’s narrative nonfiction, pure American history.”  ~ Samuel Marquis

“Captain Kidd’s story is a huge political scandal and the trial of the century. It’s not just a little pirate tale. It’s one of the greatest trials of all time, and it’s one of the greatest political scandals in English history.”   ~ Samuel Marquis

Bio:

The ninth-great-grandson of legendary privateer Captain William Kidd, Samuel Marquis, M.S., P.G., is a professional hydrogeologist, expert witness, and bestselling, award-winning author of twelve American non-fiction-history, historical-fiction, and suspense books, covering primarily the period from colonial America through WWII. His American history and historical fiction books have been #1 Denver Post bestsellers and received multiple national book awards (Publishers Weekly Starred Review, Kirkus and Foreword Reviews Book of the Year, American Book Fest and USA Best Book, Readers’ Favorite, Beverly Hills, Independent Publisher, Colorado Book Awards). His historical titles have garnered glowing reviews from bestselling authors, colonial American history and maritime historians, U.S. military veterans, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and Foreword Reviews (Starred, 5 Stars).

Guest Contact Info:

Website: https://samuelmarquisbooks.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammarquisbooks/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samuelmarquisbooks/

Nov 13
Love23

Kathy Reichs

By Author, Podcast No Comments

The queen of forensic fiction is back!

This week on Here’s What We Know, New York Times bestselling author and forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs is back to celebrate the release of Evil Bones, her 24th Temperance Brennan novel. From balancing grim mysteries with witty moments to revealing how real-life quirks inspired Tempe’s world, Kathy shares stories that remind us why readers keep coming back. You’ll also hear how she keeps up with forensic science, her favorite character dialogue, what sets the books apart from the Bones TV series, and why Birdie the cat will never die.

This episode is sponsored by:


(Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!)

In This Episode:

  • The delicate art of using humor to illuminate dark subjects
  • How Kathy’s writing process keeps Tempe Brennan evolving
  • The science and heart behind Evil Bones
  • Why readers forgive a character’s death, but never a pet’s

Evil Bones out November 18th! Pre-order now!

Quotations:

” What’s gonna be funny for some people is not going to be funny for other people. And that’s just the way it is.” ~ Kathy Reichs

“I think Skinny Slidel is my favorite character. He’s certainly my favorite character to write. I love to write Skinny dialogue.” ~ Kathy Reichs

“I usually start thinking about it before I’ve finished the previous book. You know, it kind of begins intruding on the next storyline. By the time I do a little bit of outlining, not a whole lot of outlining. So I really just kind of jump into it, and I maybe outline six or eight chapters. And then I just jump into it and start writing.”  ~ Kathy Reichs

“People will let you kill off you, a character, but don’t kill off an ant. Don’t kill the dog. They’ll be very unforgiving if you kill the dog.”  ~ Kathy Reichs

Bio:

Kathy Reichs’s first novel Déjà Dead catapulted her to fame when it became a New York Times bestseller and won the 1997 Ellis Award for Best First Novel. Her other Temperance Brennan books include Death du Jour, Deadly Decisions, Fatal Voyage, Grave Secrets, Bare Bones, Monday Mourning, Cross Bones, Break No Bones, Bones to Ashes, Devil Bones, 206 Bones, Spider Bones, Flash and Bones, Bones Are Forever, Bones of the Lost, Bones Never Lie, Speaking in Bones and the Temperance Brennan short story collection, The Bone Collection.   In addition, Kathy co-authored the Virals young adult series with her son, Brendan Reichs. The best-selling titles are: Virals, Seizure, Code, Exposure, Terminal, and the novella collection Trace Evidence. The series follows the adventures of Temperance Brennan’s great niece, Tory Brennan.  Dr. Reichs’ latest novel, Two Nights, was released July 11 and features Sunday Night, a tough-talking, scarred heroine.  Dr. Reichs was also a producer of the hit Fox TV series, Bones, which is based on her work and her novels.

From teaching FBI agents how to detect and recover human remains, to separating and identifying commingled body parts in her Montreal lab, as a forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs has brought her own dramatic work experience to her mesmerizing forensic thrillers. For years she consulted to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in North Carolina and to the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Québec. Dr. Reichs has traveled to Rwanda to testify at the UN Tribunal on Genocide, and helped exhume a mass grave in Guatemala. As part of her work at JPAC (Formerly CILHI) she aided in the identification of war dead from World War II, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Dr. Reichs also assisted in the recovery of remains at the World Trade Center following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Dr. Reichs is one of only 100 forensic anthropologists ever certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology. She served on the Board of Directors and as Vice President of both the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, and is currently a member of the National Police Services Advisory Council in Canada. She is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.

Dr. Reichs is a native of Chicago, where she received her Ph.D. at Northwestern. She now divides her time between Charlotte, NC and Montreal, Québec.

Guest Contact Info:

Website: https://kathyreichs.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathyreichs/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathyreichsbooks/