Talk "Radio" Recap – Wedgie Wednesday S2E44 (3/12/2025): John Bukowski Interview
- Jonathan Riehle II
- Mar 12
- 3 min read
Welcome back to another Wedgie Wednesday recap! This week’s episode of Talk "Radio" featured John Bukowski, an author who made a fascinating career shift from medical research to writing thrillers. We had an incredible conversation about his journey, his books, and what it takes to craft a gripping story.
If you missed the episode, here’s a full breakdown of what we covered!
John Bukowski: From Medical Research to Thrillers
John started his career in medical research before deciding to dive into fiction writing full-time. When asked about this transition, he explained how his background in science influences his storytelling, especially in how he researches and builds realistic narratives.
Key Takeaways from Our Conversation:
🔹 Early Influences: John shared a childhood memory that hinted at his future as a writer. It was interesting to hear how small moments in life can shape us in ways we don’t realize at the time.
🔹 Surprising His Younger Self: If his younger self met him today, John believes he’d be shocked at the path he took—but also excited by the adventure of storytelling.
🔹 His Books:📖 Project Suicide – A dark, thought-provoking thriller that explores the power of influence and control.📖 Checkout Time – A twisty, suspenseful story that keeps readers guessing.📖 Bad Pennies – His upcoming book, which promises to deliver even more thrills and surprises!
🔹 The Writing Process: John talked about how research plays a major role in fiction writing and how he develops realistic dialogue that makes his characters feel alive.
🔹 Acting & Writing: Having a background in acting, John finds that it helps him develop characters with more depth and emotion—something that sets his books apart in the thriller genre.
Rapid-Fire Questions & Fun Insights
We wrapped up the episode with some fun, fast-paced questions, including:
🕵️♂️ Why thrillers? – John loves the genre because it’s all about keeping readers on edge and delivering unexpected twists.
🎬 Favorite movies? – He shared some of his top film influences that inspire his storytelling style.
📚 Best books & resources? – John recommended some great books, podcasts, and writing tools that have helped shape his journey as an author.
🕰 Time Travel: Past or Future? – Find out which way he’d go and why!
💡 His Favorite Mistake: John reflected on a lesson learned the hard way—because sometimes, mistakes lead to the best discoveries.
Final Thoughts & Where to Find John’s Books
This was a fun and insightful conversation, packed with wisdom for aspiring writers and thriller fans alike. John’s passion for storytelling, combined with his scientific background, makes his books both thrilling and thought-provoking.
If you want to check out his work, here’s where you can find them:
📖 Bad Pennies (Coming 2025) – Amazon Link
📖 Checkout Time (2023) – www.checkouttimenovel.com
📖 Project Suicide (2022) – www.projectsuicidenovel.com
🏆 Awards & Recognition:🥈 Second Place – 2024 BookFest Awards (Checkout Time)🏆 Finalist – 2024 Silver Falchion Award (Killer Nashville)🏆 Finalist – 2024 Imadjinn Awards (Imaginarium)🥉 Third Place – 2024 BookFest Awards (Project Suicide)
🌐 Learn more about John Bukowski at https://www.thrillerjohnb.net/
What’s Next on Talk "Radio"?
That’s a wrap on Wedgie Wednesday! Stay tuned for the next episode of Talk "Radio", where we’ll continue bringing you interesting guests, engaging discussions, and plenty of mid-week fun.
🎧 Did you enjoy this episode? Let me know in the comments:
❓ What’s your favorite thriller book or movie?
❓ Have you ever considered writing fiction yourself?
You may watch the episode at the following link: https://youtu.be/QjDCgqUvkIY
Thanks for tuning in, and until next time—keep chasing great stories! 🚀
Opening and ending sound was horrible