J Stephen Beam
J. Stephen Beam is a storyteller at heart—a retired physician, former science teacher, and author of mystery novels that delve deep into the complexities of human connection.
His novels explore the hidden struggles behind disrupted relationships, set against backdrops like the illicit drug trade and human trafficking. But it’s the emotional truth, not the crime, that drives his narratives. The town of Cold Springs becomes more than a setting—it’s woven in among the characters themselves.
As host of Stories from Cold Springs, Beam brings the same warmth and wisdom he pours into his fiction. With his gentle Mississippi drawl and reflective storytelling, listening to him feels like settling into a porch swing with a friend who’s seen a lot—and isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. He lives in Sumrall, Mississippi, with his wife Dawn, an attorney and former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice who hosts the Hope Mississippi podcast.