A skeptic sits down to dinner with Jesus at a quiet Italian restaurant, and a half-million readers later, David Gregory finds himself at the center of Christian fiction’s unlikely boom.

I invited David to unpack how a self-published novella became a national bestseller, why some faith-forward stories cross into the mainstream, and what it really takes to write novels that don’t preach yet still carry a clear message.

We get practical fast: what qualifies a book as Christian fiction, how to keep theology organic to the plot, and why readers bristle when characters pause for sermons.

David shares behind-the-scenes moments from Dinner with a Perfect Stranger, the ripple effects of The Shack and the Left Behind series, and the ongoing shelving debate that keeps many faith-based novels in the religion aisle instead of general fiction.

We also talk audience realities—why women 35+ dominate the category, how teens still respond when the story sings, and the surprising power of simple word of mouth over trend-chasing tactics.

Then we zoom out to the business. David explains the platform-first logic of today’s publishers, why he returned to self-publishing after major-house launches, and what has and hasn’t moved the needle for discoverability.

He teases new projects, including a fable-like work for all ages and screen adaptations of The Last Christian and One of Us, a contemporary retelling of the gospels through the life of Manuel, a Mexican American mechanic. If you care about faith, fiction, or the craft of making both feel real, this conversation will change how you think about story.

Have a comment? Text me!

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Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.natashatynes.com/bookcoaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.natashatynes.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

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Christopher Lee Maher is the author of Free for Life, a book born not from theory but from a personal reckoning. After years as a Navy SEAL, Christopher looked physically elite yet struggled with insomnia, chronic pain, and nervous system overload. His book documents the system he built to understand why strong bodies break down—and how to restore them.

In this episode, Christopher unpacks the core ideas behind Free for Life and the method he calls True Body Intelligence, which addresses stress and distortion across the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual body. He explains how prolonged exposure to cold and high stress shortened muscle chains, disrupted sleep, and trapped tension in the nervous system—and how most fitness routines unknowingly make this worse.

We talk through the practical framework at the heart of the book: using all three muscle contractions—concentric, eccentric, and isometric—to lengthen tissue, stabilize joints, and release stored stress. Christopher shares why most workouts overtrain one contraction, how slowing the lowering phase can change everything, and why daily “resets” matter more than intensity.

We also zoom out to the author journey. Christopher reflects on self-publishing Free for Life, choosing a slow, values-driven marketing strategy, and prioritizing purpose over visibility. This conversation is for writers and authors interested in embodied knowledge, meaningful nonfiction, and what it looks like to build a book—and a body—around long-term integrity rather than quick wins.

Have a comment? Text me!

Support the show

****************************************************************************
Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.natashatynes.com/bookcoaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.natashatynes.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NatashaTynes

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha.tynes

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Readandwritewithnatashapodcast

Ready to turn your book into a voice that moves people—and moves your business forward?

In this episode, I sit down with audiobook coach and producer Robert Lane to unpack how nonfiction authors can confidently narrate their own audiobooks from a simple home setup and publish professionally on major platforms.

If you’ve ever thought, “I hate how my voice sounds,” or worried that your accent might hold you back, this conversation reframes your voice as a brand asset. Robert shares practical tools to help you sound clear, conversational, and engaging, without trying to sound like someone else.

We break down what goes into a professional audiobook: confidence-building narration coaching, pacing that keeps listeners hooked, and production essentials such as clean edits, noise control, and adherence to exact specs for Audible, Amazon, and Apple. We also explore who should self-narrate, when hiring a voice actor makes sense (especially for character-heavy fiction), and how to build an effective at-home studio—with the right mic, closed-back headphones, and an acoustic space that works (yes, even a closet).

We also address the key question about AI narration. Robert explains why synthetic voices still miss emotional timing and subtext—and how cutting corners here can quietly damage your author brand.

Finally, we dig into the business case. Audiobooks continue to outperform ebooks in revenue growth, but the smartest authors don’t rely on royalties alone. Learn how to use your audiobook as a high-credibility calling card to land paid speaking gigs, organizational sales, and cross-format bundles.

If you’re serious about reaching more readers, sounding like yourself, and building a durable revenue engine around your book, this episode delivers the mindset, workflow, and roadmap.

Have a comment? Text me!

Support the show

****************************************************************************
Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.natashatynes.com/bookcoaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.natashatynes.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NatashaTynes

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha.tynes

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Readandwritewithnatashapodcast